DBCE would like to say a big thank you to everyone who helped make our live webinars on Sept 30th a resounding success!

We ran two info-packed sessions, each lasting an hour, with hundreds of attendees from around the world. 

Hosting the sessions was DBCE’s Managing Director, Ian McLeod, who introduced the company, explaining how the DBCE is a non-profit organisation with a mission to raise dry bulk carrier safety standards beyond compliance.

In a live demonstration of the DryBMS framework, Ian showed how easy it is to navigate this important self-assessment platform, focussing on viewing the different sections and understanding how the scoring system works for your company.

Bringing further dry shipping expertise to the event, Ian was joined by guest speaker, Deepak Gupta. Deepak is a master mariner, whose career credentials include managing post fixture operations, marine and vetting, and currently leads the Marine Standards & Assurance and QHSE team at Oldendorff. 

He played an important role in the development of the DryBMS framework and during the sessions he recounted some of  his experiences. Deepak went on to explain his implementation process, and provided advice for any new subscribers on how to get the most out of the DryBMS platform.

 

Don’t miss out – Rewatch the DBCE webinars now

For anyone who missed these engaging and informative sessions, you can watch the DBCE webinar below 

Questions Answered

We’ve compiled the most frequent queries raised in the webinars below for your ease, but you can also view a full list of the questions and answers, here. 

General Development and Feedback 

Are there any plans to share incidents, case studies and best practices in addition to the online assessment? 

It is DBCE’s intention to develop incident case studies, best practices, benchmarking and other safety initiatives to share with subscribers to improve safety. Our constitution allows the formation of a committee to oversee the development, implementation and promotion of the DryBMS Framework promoting the interests of its subscribers in all matters of safety, health, environment and sustainability and crew welfare. 

How has feedback been on the DryBMS so far?

Feedback has been very positive with a steady stream of subscribers. We look forward to welcoming more subscribers over the coming months, and if you do have any feedback or further questions, please let us know at info@dbce.org.

What challenges did you face during the implementation of DBCE, and how did you overcome them?

As with any major project there are many challenges to be faced and overcome probably of which the most difficult will be changing ‘hearts and minds’. There will always be those who, while embracing the challenge of improving safety, will not necessarily see DryBMS as the right catalyst and who will need to be convinced that this is the way to go.  

With ‘management of change’ being a key theme within DryBMS our expectation is that we will turn any negative or neutral views into strong, positive voices for change.

Other organisations 

There were a number of questions about other organisations such as RightShip and Intercargo. Unfortunately we are unable to comment on any actions taken by other organisations, and would recommend getting in touch with them on specific questions. 

Audits and assessments 

Will DryBMS conduct onboard inspections? 

It is not our intention to conduct any vessel inspections. The DryBMS framework is a tool allowing subscribers to conduct a self assessment of their management systems against an industry standard of excellence in ship management. DBCE is the administrator of DryBMS and does not conduct assessments.

When a company’s self-assessment is submitted after how long you are obliged to pass the office audit. Can you elaborate further on the audit regime and the validity of the audit.

There is no mandatory requirement to have a verification audit. A subscriber will be able to apply to DBCE for a verification audit. That verification audit will be valid until the subscriber submits a new self assessment. The verification accreditation system (VAS) is under development. However, training and accreditation of verification auditors is scheduled to start in 2025.

How can I support the programme as a freelance consultant? How to join the pool of accredited auditors?

DBCE is drafting the terms of reference for auditor qualification and accreditation. These will be circulated to interested parties during December 2024.

Is there an intention or consideration of the existing DryBMS Management Audits which were carried out within the last year to be somewhat taken into account within the DBCE platform?

There is no intention to consider DryBMS audits conducted by any organisations within the platform. Verification audits will be conducted by accredited DBCE auditors to a common standard. Verified self assessments will be annotated on the platform.

The online self assessment tool and DryBMS framework 

How often can we update/revise our submission? 

The management of your DryBMS self assessment is completely in your hands. You can update/revise your submission whenever you like. However, it is important that the process is led and managed by a senior figure in the organisation, but self-assessment works best when it is an integral part of your company’s activity, not something that is done by just a few people on behalf of all the rest.

Can we upload any attachment to our submission?

Uploaded attachments are not required but you may wish to reference part of your SMS as objective supporting evidence.

Is there a deadline for us to upload our submission?

There are no deadlines, the control is yours.

Who will have access to view our submission?

The submitted DryBMS is completely confidential to you. Only those you grant permission can review your submission. This includes potential charterers that you grant permission to.  

How can subscribing to the Dry Bulk Management Standard framework enhance a company’s operational performance and reduce the risk of detention? (as per recent LinkedIn post)

The DryBMS is a self assessment tool for ship operators to measure their management performance against industry best practice. Use of the tool will allow subscribers to provide a pathway for designing a way of maintaining good current practice or management improvements. Guidance on operational excellence will aid PSC performance. DryBMS is a living document that will be updated periodically to reflect the changing environment in which we operate. 

What is the plan for updating the DryBMS framework to account for things like crew welfare, human factors and diversity? 

Since the first inception of the standard there have been many modifications during industry consultation. The most recent were completed in 2024. The platform was launched in August 2024. It is the intention of DBCE to develop the standard together with the subscribers to meet industry expectations, including enhancing the areas of crew welfare, human factors and diversity. DryBMS is a living document that will be updated periodically to reflect the changing environment in which we operate.

Could you explain the rationale behind the scoring methodology?

The scoring methodology was developed during industry consultation. Various iterations were tested and the one in use was the one agreed to launch the platform. The committee, formed of subscriber representatives, overseeing development, implementation and promotion of the DryBMS Framework will be able to propose the implementation of an alternative method.

At a later stage, will the platform include incidents review by the Charterers after voluntary reporting by the managers?

This would be possible if the subscribers wished. However, at this stage (5 weeks since platform launch) there are no plans to do this. It is DBCE’s intention to develop a benchmarking tool and other safety initiatives.