CSSF Publishes Free Guide to Safe Container Ship Operations

The industry association Container Ship Safety Forum (CSSF) has published its first Guide to Safe Container Ship Operations. 

The 54-page guide is structured into eight chapters. It covers safety-relevant aspects such as navigation and bridge management, mooring, anchoring and towing operations, cargo operations, emergency preparedness and maintenance and reliability. Safety Management Systems and the role of senior managers – whether shipboard or shore-based – also play an important role.

The document focuses on personal and operational safety. It does not include environmental or crew welfare issues nor any security aspects. The aim is to provide industry participants with valuable suggestions on how they can implement safety processes.

“This guide is not an inspection or audit list, nor is it all-encompassing, but a living document that is to be updated regularly to reflect changing standards, requirements and expectations,” says Aslak Ross, Head of HSE & Marine Standards at Maersk Line and leader of the CSSF Management Board.

The 24 CSSF members now represent about 40 percent of the TEU capacity of the global container ship fleet. 

The guide is available here.