Industry: Shipping

Quality Management on the High Seas

Shipping places specific demands on the QM system in use. For instance, the operation of deep-sea fleets is also characterized by disconnection from the mainland, sometimes for several weeks. This aspect requires a decentralized organization of the QM system, which must enable the individual vessels to communicate with headquarters, e.g. via satellites.

Quality management in shipping must ensure a consistently high quality of the service offered. The safety of the vessel, passengers, crew, cargo, and the environment must be ensured at all times. National as well as international regulations need to be met.

From a purely formal perspective, every piece of software used in shipping must be certified by Germanischer Lloyd in accordance with the ISM Code.

But, a vessel also requires special features in the QM system in terms of content.

For example:

• prescribed sea rescue exercises,
• training in rescue systems, and
• crew drills

must be reliably documented. The reliable management of accidents on board or other incidents helps prevent injuries to the crew and passengers, and damage to the environment.

The ConSense integrated quality management software supports quality assurance on board with the following standards and functions:

• ConSense solutions have the necessary Type Approval from Germanischer Lloyd.
• Decentralized administration, maintenance and, in particular, use, in some cases without any connection to onshore side. Replicated databases and communication by satellite are supported.
• The software solutions enable the documentation of drills, training sessions, and sea rescue exercises.
• Accident and incident management, reporting, as well as safety and security are embedded in the software.
• Standards: SOLAS, ISM Code, ISP, GLC MSR Standard, etc.