BMT Maritime Consultants Gives Safety Advice to African Port Giant
12/02/2007
BMT Maritime Consultants has assisted one of Africa's premier ports in fulfilling international safety standards.
Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) is responsible for the port of Mombasa, the leading port of east and central Africa, with total port throughput of 13 million metric tonnes and 300,000 TEU's, and a total workforce of around 6000.
KPA is required to implement the International Safety Management (ISM) Code to support and encourage the development of a safety culture in its marine operations and to ensure that its new fleet of tugs and marine craft are maintained to the highest standards.
BMT was commissioned to prepare the requirements and implementation planning to enable KPA to achieve compliance with the code. This required a comprehensive evaluation and GAP analysis to be undertaken to determine the differences between existing KPA practices and the requirements of the code.
Director International Operations, Graham Moody said "Integration of elements of safety, maintenance and environment from existing KPA systems into the new ISM program will achieve an integrated and cohesive port service management system that will be equal to any system that is currently in use by major ports throughout the world.
The outcomes from this GAP analysis were used to develop a detailed project management plan for the implementation of the required procedures to allow full compliance with the ISM codes. This management plan covered both on board and on shore elements and included:
- Resource requirements
- Audit programme
- Preparation of Marine Safety Policy document
- Preparation of Environmental Protection Policy document
- Preparation of an implementation programme
- Production of safety manuals for KPA craft
Adoption of the ISM Code will allow the integration of a documented Health and Safety Management Plan, and a comprehensive Contingency Plan for pollution and emergencies, into a Port Safety Manual that covers the safe management and operation of ships and environmental protection of the harbour.
