The company, the DPA, media and families
1The lesson in plain words
The company's emergency team takes the outside world off the bridge. Call early, report facts, and leave the media and families to the company.
The company emergency team
Your company’s safety management system (SMS) sets out how to activate its shore emergency response team (ERT). It provides specialist support: contacting the flag State, the classification society (which checks the ship against its technical rules), the P&I (protection and indemnity) insurer, salvors, charterers and port authorities. The master keeps command of the ship; the ERT takes as much of the outside world off the bridge as it can.
The DPA
The ISM Code requires a designated person ashore (DPA) with direct access to the highest level of management, who monitors safety and pollution prevention. In an emergency the DPA is often the master's direct link to the company and makes sure resources arrive. Keep the DPA's 24-hour number with the emergency checklists.
The first call
Call the company early with a short, factual report: what happened, people on board and their condition, position, damage, weather, and what help you have asked for. Then report again at agreed times. Assign a separate operator to maintain the required radio watch during company calls.
Media and families
Follow your SMS: refer media questions to the designated spokesperson unless you are authorised to speak. Agree with the crew how personal phones and social media are used. A photo or message sent too early can reach a family before the company has spoken to them, or spread false news. Families hear from the company, not from rumour.
Stick to facts
Keep what you say factual and consistent: no guesses about the cause and no blame. Investigators, insurers and the flag state will want the facts later; early speculation can hurt the crew and the company.
2Key data
- DPA
- ISM Code section 4; direct access to top management
- Company ERT
- Flag, class, P&I, salvors, charterers, ports, media
- First report
- What happened, people, position, damage, weather, help asked
- Media
- Refer questions to the spokesperson named in your SMS
3Key points
- 1
The company ERT handles the outside world so the master can run the ship.
- 2
The DPA links the ship to top management; keep the 24-hour number ready.
- 3
First call early and factual, then report at agreed times without interrupting the radio watch.
- 4
Follow the SMS media policy; agree crew phone and social-media use.
- 5
Facts only: no guesses about cause, no blame.
4Frequent mistakes
Wrong: Wait until the situation is under control before calling the company.
Right: Call early; the shore team needs time to arrange tugs, salvors, experts and ports.
Wrong: A short comment to a journalist who calls the ship does no harm.
Right: Follow the SMS media policy; refer questions to the designated spokesperson unless authorised to speak. Speculation can mislead families and investigators.
5Practice case & exam keys
After an explosion in the engine room of your product tanker, one engineer is missing. Within an hour a news site calls the ship's satellite phone, and crew members are messaging home. Your SMS names a company spokesperson; you are not authorised to speak.
Show the answer
Refer the journalist to the company media contact. Ask crew not to post casualty details or speculation, especially before next of kin are notified; allow private reassurance that they themselves are safe. Give the DPA and emergency team a factual update and agree the next report time.
Exam keys
- ISM Code: the DPA has direct access to the highest level of management.
- Company ERT handles flag, class, P&I, salvors, ports and media.
- Early, factual first report; then regular updates without interrupting the radio watch.
- Company specialists handle media and family notifications; follow the SMS policy.
Finish this unit
When you've read it, answer three questions. Get all three right to finish the unit; opening the page alone doesn't count.
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