Policies

It is the policy of the company applicable to all its employees, ashore and on board vessels to provide healthy and safe working conditions, promote and enhance safety as a work culture and prevent loss or human injury.

The HSQEM system of the company has been structured to ensure compliance and conformity with rules and regulations by IMO, port states, flag state administration, classification society, maritime industry organizations and other regulatory bodies.

 

The company is committed to that in all its activities it will:

• Protect the health and safety of its employees and ensure that their work will not adversely affect the health, safety and property of others.
• Provide means / arrange to minimise and remedy harm and injuries from accidents that may occur.
• Recognise that safety and health is a management responsibility.
• Provide all its employees with the information, personal protective equipment, necessary training and regular medical check-ups for them to carry out their work in a safe and healthy manner.
• The company undertakes appropriate reviews and evaluations of its operations to measure progress and ensure compliance with this policy.
• The company requires that all departments and ships, under the direction of their departmental head or master, must:
  • Bring the safety and health policy to the notice of all employees under their control.
  • Monitor operations and review safety and health procedures for which they are responsible to ensure they comply with the safety and health policy.
  • Actively encourage all employees to accept the principle that injuries and accidents at work can be prevented and to promote the high standards of safety and health consciousness, discipline and individual accountability that this principle demands.
  • Ensure that all accidents and hazardous incidents are fully investigated and remedial steps taken promptly to avoid recurrence.
  • Actively promote employee participation to observe measures to improve their health and safety at work.
  • Ensure that all contractors working under their direct control apply health and safety standards equal to our own.
  • Keep all employees and contractors appropriately informed of potential hazards which might affect them.
• Senior officers and visiting office management will lead by example complying with safety practices and procedures.

All personnel ashore and on board are expected to comply with the HSQE management system acting responsibly to take all necessary precautions to protect themselves, their colleagues, the ship and its cargo at all times.

The quality objectives of the company are to deliver ship management services that meet the requirements, needs and expectations of our clients, the public and other parties with interests in safe operation of vessels, protection of the environment, vessel, cargo and crew within the framework of the ISM Code, the norm ISO 9001, national and international laws and regulations, and shipping industry standards and guidelines through efficient and cost effective execution.

• In pursuant of the company’s policy, specific measurable targets are decided as found necessary or appropriate during Management Reviews. The objectives thus set or decided are communicated to the personnel concerned so that they will be able to identify contributions needed to achieve them within decided periods for re-evaluation.
• Measurability of the objectives is taken into account as far as possible when these are set so that these become useful inputs in evaluation of the continuous improvement status of the Company’s Quality Management System.
• Targets and objectives will be communicated in writing on an annual basis subsequent to the management review.

The quality objectives are to be achieved through:

• A management led approach to quality.
• A company wide commitment to quality in all activities.
• Endeavour to ensure the safety of crew, vessel, equipment and cargo at all times.
• Attracting, developing, motivating and retaining loyal and dedicated employees who contribute to the company’s objectives.
• Performing our services and duties in compliance with the ISM Code, ISO9001, all mandatory regulations and with the stated requirements and expectations.
• Maintaining a reputation as a quality conscious, effective, reliable, cost conscious and service minded company.
• Applying quality assurance in evaluation, monitoring and management of subcontractors, the relationship to subcontractors is laid down in clear, unambiguous agreements giving responsibilities, authority and requirements.
• Continuously evaluating results versus stated requirements and expectations with the aim to improve the quality of our services, our management system and working procedures.
• Compiling and implementing annual quality improvement plans.
• Keeping company’s senior management informed of all major complaints from whatever sources as well as situations involving significant non-conformances.
• The attention of company’s Fleet Director and Board being drawn to all cases where claims are raised against the company and other issues of fundamental significance.

The company, as a reputable and responsible ship manager, recognises the importance of contributing to the conservation and protection of the environment and is firmly committed in the development of necessary procedures to manage the activities of the vessels in a safe, controlled and friendly manner with the environment.

Pursuant with this policy, the company has implemented and maintains an environmental management system in accordance with the ISM code, ISO 14001 and any other relevant local, national and international requirements, as found applicable, to:

• To ensure that every day activities are conducted in compliance with all relevant rules, regulations, and industry guidelines, and permanently adapting to the new developments to further reduce the environmental impact of operations.
• To ensure that the company’s environmental management system is consistent with MARPOL 73/78 convention, ISO 14001 and other applicable regulations while maintaining continuous environmental management improvement and preventing any kind of pollution.
• The company in consistence with his environmental compromise establishes as a permanent objective not to cause any oil pollution, namely “ZERO SPILLS”.
• To conduct necessary audits, to verify that the environmental management system is properly implemented and maintained, and is adequate to minimize the impact of the activities on the environment.
• To establish, update, monitor, control and review periodically specific environmental objectives and targets through the management reviews.
• The company will encourage improving performance and minimizing the impact of its activities by taking account of evolving technologies and practical knowledge. And will seek to reduce consumption of materials, re-use rather than discard where practicable.
• The company will ensure that all employees are informed about the company’s environmental protection policy, objectives, targets and procedures. As such, the company will endeavour to ensure all employees receive appropriate training and guidance in the company’s environmental goals and strategies according to their individual duties in order to collaborate in implementation.
• Encourage all company employees to seek and identify situations with potential impact to the environment or situations no conforming with regulations in force, in order to activate relevant preventive or corrective actions.
• The company will encourage suppliers and contractors to continually reduce the impact of their operations and deliver their services in accordance with company’s environmental policy and the HSQEM system.
• The company will keep communications channels with the administrations, and other industrial bodies regarding the activities of the company in connection or related to the environment.

The environmental policy of the company is available to all the employees ashore and on board the vessels, to any contractors working with the company, and to other bodies that company considers interested parties. This policy will be posted in public areas publicly and it will be made available to any interested body

 

The company has developed and maintains policies regarding use and smuggling of drugs and alcohol onboard the vessels under their management.

The policies set forth follow the requirements and standards adopted by U.S. Anti Drug Abuse Act 1986, OCIMF, IMO and the major oil companies (EXXON drug & alcohol clause)..

Drug and alcohol policy will not only safeguard company reputation, image and business interests but will also be for the benefit and safety of the maritime industry as a whole. More importantly, it will safeguard the health and well being of seafarers themselves and will preserve the rights and assist the defence of the individual if circumstances require.

The company has therefore instituted rules of conduct and controls to ensure that nobody navigates a vessel or operates its equipment or machinery while impaired by drug or alcohol.

Further, all our employees on board and ashore shall not be involved in any smuggling or any drug trafficking:

• The Company establishes a total ban on alcoholic beverages on board its vessels. Possession or consumption of alcohol on board is strictly prohibited.
• The use of un-prescribed drugs or controlled substances on board vessels under company management will not be tolerated. Anyone in possession of illegal drugs or controlled substances will immediately be removed from the vessel and turned over lo relevant authorities.
• Drugs and controlled substances include, but are not limited to, cannabis, cocaine, opiates, amphetamines, hallucinogens and phencyclidine (PCP).
• Possession or consumption of alcoholic beverages on board company managed vessels is strictly prohibited. No alcoholic beverages are to be brought on board by members of the crew or shore staff visiting the vessel.
• Any person, other than ship’s staff, found to be in possession of alcohol or impaired by the consumption of alcohol, shall be escorted and removed from the vessel immediately, and if deemed necessary under the circumstances, passed into the hands of the shore authorities.
• Crew or shore staff are to allow a sufficient period of abstinence before joining any vessel to ensure he is not in breach of the policy upon boarding, or at any time whilst on board.
• When use of alcohol is suspected and is confirmed by breathalyzer, it will trigger opportune disciplinary actions with serious consequences. If the total blood alcohol content exceeds 0.05% blood alcohol level (BAC) or 0.25 mg/l alcohol in the breath, it will result in dismissal.
• Alcohol Test Meters will be available on each vessel, which will allow the Master to specifically check any crew suspected of having a high level of alcohol in his system and incapable of carrying out his duties.
• Prior to signing-on, all seafarers sailing on company vessels are required to sign a “Letter of Undertaking: Drug and Alcohol Declaration”, and will submit themselves for testing for use of drugs or controlled substances and alcohol abuse in an accredited lab.
• Testing and screening shall include random testing of the crew on each vessel with a frequency to ensure that each crewmember is tested at least once a year.

The Company is committed to conducting its business lawfully, ethically and with integrity. As part of this commitment, all forms of bribery and corruption are unacceptable and will not be tolerated.

This policy applies to all company employees across the group no matter where they are located or what they do.

Company employees must not offer, pay, make, seek or accept a personal payment, gift or favour in return to favourable treatment.

This policy sets out a single standard that all employees must comply with, regardless of whether local law or practices might permit something to the contrary.

Bribes can take many forms, for example:

• Money or cash equivalent
• Unreasonable gifts, entertainment or hospitality
  Kickbacks
• Unwarranted rebates or excessive commissions
• Unwarranted allowances or expenses
• Facilitation payments to perform the job more quickly
• Uncompensated use of company services or facilities
• Anything else of value

Dealing with public officials poses a particular high risk in relation to bribery and corruption. The provision of money or anything else of value, no matter how small, to any public official for the purpose of influencing them in their official capacity is prohibited.

Failure to comply with this policy, whether or not this is intentional, may lead to disciplinary action being taken and ultimately could result in dismissal.

If you as company employee suspect or observe anything that you think might be in contravention of this policy, you have the obligation to report it to the DPA.