OCIMF releases new edition of offshore vessel management and self assessment (OVMSA)
The Oil Companies International Marine Forum (OCIMF), a voluntary association of 112 oil companies, reports it has published an updated edition of its Offshore Vessel Management and Self Assessment (OVMSA) programme. OVMSA has been updated to reflect current legislation, expectations and emerging risks. It also includes expanded best practice guidelines and a streamlined self assessment procedure to encourage a more unified interpretation and implementation of the guidance by offshore vessel operators.
The programme, originally published in 2012, is widely used by companies operating offshore vessels worldwide to assess, measure, benchmark and improve their Safety Management Systems (SMS) against set Key Performance Indicators (KPIs). These systems encompass all company activities, including technical, operational, personnel and Health, Safety, Security and Environment (HSSE), both onboard and ashore.
Offshore vessel operators using the OVMSA programme can make their reports available to OCIMF members and vessel charterers as proof of active SMS processes and alignment with industry best practices.
Rob Drysdale, Director, OCIMF, comments:
“OVMSA is used by offshore vessel operators to evaluate and improve their management systems in line with their industry peers, and over the years, the assessment has been instrumental in helping offshore vessel operators raise standards of best practice across the board. However, the risk-profile of the marine industry continues to change, and so OVMSA needs to change to reflect those risks.
“OVMSA has been updated by our expert committees and working groups to provide further clarity for users, improve consistency, make conducting self assessments easier and to promote continuous improvement in the offshore marine industry.”
OVMSA2 sets out 13 elements of management practice that are essential for the effective management and operation of offshore vessels.
Operators can measure their management systems against the KPIs in the OVMSA, demonstrate compliance with industry standards and use the programme to identify gaps in current performance. To reflect the many new challenges offshore vessel operators must now account for, OSMVA2 includes 85 New KPIs, and 25 KPIs have been downgraded. In total, there are 266 KPIs in OSMVA2 for measuring management performance.
The Oil Companies International Marine Forum (OCIMF) is a voluntary association of oil companies with an interest in the shipment and terminalling of crude oil, oil products, petrochemicals and gas. OCIMF focuses exclusively on preventing harm to people and the environment by promoting best practice in the design, construction and operation of tankers, barges and offshore vessels and their interfaces with terminals.
