Which certificate confirms a ship's Safety Management System is approved under the ISM Code?

• A. ISM System Approval Certificate
• B. Safety Management Verification
• C. Safety Management Certificate (SMC)
• D. ISM Safety Compliance Certificate

Answer: (C)

Under the ISM Code, a ship must operate with a Safety Management System that has been audited and approved. The certificate that proves this approval is the Safety Management Certificate. It is issued after a successful ISM Code audit of the vessel’s SMS by the flag state or by a recognized organization acting for the flag state, confirming that the ship’s procedures meet the Code. The SMC remains valid for up to five years, with annual verifications to ensure ongoing compliance. (For context, the company’s SMS is shown by a separate document called the Document of Compliance.)

The other options aren’t the official certificate names used under the ISM Code, so they don’t represent the approved ship-specific confirmation.