Unit 1: Quality System in Shipping Industry

ISO 14000 Environmental Management Systems

The shipping industry is also encouraged to apply the ISO 14001 2004 which is an environmental management standard. It specifies a set of environmental management requirements for environmental management systems. The purpose of this standard is to help all types of organizations to protect the environment, to prevent pollution, and to improve their environmental performance.

ISO 14001 is now implemented in more than 159 countries and has provided organizations with a powerful management tool to improve their environmental performance. More than 223 149 organizations have been certified worldwide against ISO 14001 at the end of 2009, which is an increase of 18 % compared to 2008. Many companies have improved their operations and reduced the impact of their activities, processes, products and services on the environment by using a systematic approach that seeks continual improvement.

The benefits of positively addressing environmental issues not only cover the preservation of the environment, but are also linked to business performance and profitability while improving the corporate image, enhancing access to export markets, providing a common reference for communicating environmental issues with customers, regulators, the public and other stakeholders, etc.

Despite of all the efforts in maritime industry all these quality tools while they apply to regulatory activities they do not solve the family problems faced in many family owned shipping companies. These quality tools do not address shareholders’ structures, business governance, succession planning or the position of the shareholders who are active in the business.