Last year INTERTANKO had established, as a condition of membership, that companies have a certified ISM Code safety management system in place by 1 July, 1998. Furthermore, at its meeting in Singapore in May 1998 the INTERTANKO Council amended the Articles of Association to empower the Executive Committee to either terminate or suspend the membership of a company which does not meet the Association’s criteria for membership. The amendment had been agreed to enable the membership status of those companies which do not comply with the requirement for ISM Code certification after July 1, 1998 to be reconsidered without having to wait for the next Annual General Meeting.

"We are extremely pleased to report that INTERTANKO’s members have achieved this 100 per cent DOC certification record in advance of the ISM Code implementation date," stated Richard du Moulin, INTERTANKO chairman. "This accomplishment reflects the wholehearted commitment made by our membership to abide by the basic tenet of the ISM Code and to introduce a new safety management culture which embraces all aspects of a company’s operations, from activities performed ashore to practical work onboard ship. "

INTERTANKO member companies are well on their way to achieving Safety Management Certificates (SMCs) for each tankers in their fleet, as required under the ISM Code. As of May 20, 1998 75 per cent of the tankers in the INTERTANKO members’ fleets had received SMCs.


The INTERTANKO membership includes, as Full Members, 274 tanker companies with 1,968 tankers totalling 172.6 million tons deadweight. This is equivalent to 75% of all independently owned tanker tonnage worldwide. In addition, there are 286 INTERTANKO Associate Member companies.