Tasman Maritime Consulting

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Quality, standards & policies

How we work — standards, frameworks and responsibilities

Tasman Maritime Consulting is a small, independent consultancy. Our policies reflect that honestly — they are concise, practical, and applied to our actual operation, not copied from a corporate template written for a business ten times our size.

Quality policy

Tasman Maritime Consulting is committed to delivering audit, gap analysis, and advisory services that are accurate, independent, and practically useful to our clients. Our quality commitment means:

  • Every engagement is led by a qualified, experienced professional — not delegated to junior staff or subcontracted without client knowledge
  • Findings are reported honestly, including findings that are uncomfortable or commercially inconvenient
  • We do not accept engagements where a conflict of interest exists that cannot be transparently disclosed and managed
  • We maintain and update our knowledge of applicable codes, conventions, and flag state requirements on an ongoing basis
  • Client feedback is actively sought and used to improve our service

Our service delivery approach is aligned with the principles of ISO 9001:2015 (Quality Management Systems), applied proportionately to the scale of our operation.

Environmental policy

Maritime compliance exists at the intersection of commercial operation and environmental responsibility — and we take both seriously. Our environmental commitments in our own operation:

  • We conduct the majority of our audit and review work remotely via desktop document review, significantly reducing travel and associated emissions compared to attendance-only models
  • Where onboard attendance is required, we plan travel efficiently and consolidate visits where possible
  • We do not use single-use plastics or unnecessary consumables in our office operations
  • We actively support clients in understanding their environmental compliance obligations under MARPOL, MLC, and applicable flag state requirements — not just as a checklist, but as a genuine operational commitment

Our environmental management approach is informed by the principles of ISO 14001:2015 (Environmental Management Systems). We are not currently certified to this standard but actively adopt its framework in our planning and operations.

Equal opportunity & diversity policy

Tasman Maritime Consulting is committed to equal opportunity in all aspects of our business — in who we engage, how we engage them, and in the advice we provide to clients on crew welfare and MLC compliance.

  • We do not discriminate on the basis of gender, age, ethnicity, nationality, religion, disability, or any other protected characteristic in the provision of our services or in any future employment or subcontracting arrangements
  • We recognise that the maritime industry has historically underrepresented women and certain ethnicities at senior levels — and we actively support clients in building crew welfare frameworks that are inclusive and respectful of all crew members
  • Our MLC compliance advice addresses crew welfare as a genuine operational commitment, not as a minimum compliance exercise

Health, safety & wellbeing

We apply the same rigour to our own health and safety practices that we advise clients to apply to theirs.

  • All onboard attendance work is conducted in compliance with vessel safety requirements and with the knowledge and cooperation of the vessel's Master
  • We maintain current first aid certification and carry appropriate personal protective equipment for onboard work
  • We will not conduct onboard work in conditions that present an unreasonable risk to our own safety or to those on board

Our approach to health and safety management is informed by the principles of ISO 45001:2018 (Occupational Health and Safety Management Systems).

Conflict of interest policy

Independence is the foundation of credible audit work. Our conflict of interest policy is straightforward:

  • We will not conduct an audit of any vessel or company where we have provided SMS development, refit management, crewing, or commercial advisory services — these roles create a material conflict with independent audit
  • Where a potential conflict exists, we will disclose it to the client immediately and decline the engagement if the conflict cannot be managed transparently
  • We do not accept referral fees, commissions, or payments from third parties (flag states, ROs, equipment suppliers) that could compromise the independence of our advice
  • This policy applies across all entities associated with Tasman Maritime Consulting and any future associated trading names

Data & confidentiality policy

Client information — vessel documentation, SMS content, audit findings, crew records — is treated as confidential.

  • Client documents are used solely for the purpose of the engagement for which they were provided
  • We do not share, publish, or reference client-specific information without explicit permission
  • Electronic documents are stored securely and deleted from working systems on completion of each engagement
  • Our handling of personal information complies with the New Zealand Privacy Act 2020
Standards & frameworks

The standards underpinning our audit methodology

Our work is grounded in established international standards and maritime conventions. Where we reference a standard below, we are describing the framework that informs our methodology — not claiming certification to that standard unless explicitly stated.

ISO 19011:2018 — Guidelines for auditing management systems

Methodology aligned

ISO 19011 is the international standard for audit programme management, audit conduct, and auditor competence. Our principal consultant's Lloyd's Maritime Institute ISM/ISPS/MLC Lead Auditor training, currently in progress, is directly based on ISO 19011 principles, building on the ISM/ISPS/MLC Internal Auditor certification already held. All internal audit and gap analysis work conducted by Tasman Maritime Consulting follows the ISO 19011 audit process framework — planning, conducting, reporting, and following up.

ISO 9001:2015 — Quality management systems

Principles adopted

ISO 9001 provides the framework for consistent, client-focused service delivery. We apply its core principles — customer focus, process approach, evidence-based decision making, and continual improvement — proportionately to our operation. We are not currently certified to ISO 9001 but actively apply its methodology in how we plan and deliver engagements.

IMO ISM Code (Resolution A.741(18) as amended)

Qualified

The International Safety Management Code is the primary framework against which we conduct internal audits and gap analysis for vessels on international voyages. Our principal consultant holds Lloyd's Maritime Institute ISM/ISPS/MLC Internal Auditor certification and extensive command experience operating under ISM-certified Safety Management Systems.

MCA Large Yacht Code (LY3)

Command experience

The MCA Large Yacht Code (third edition) is the primary compliance framework for commercially operated yachts of 24 metres and above under Red Ensign Group flags. Our principal consultant spent two decades in command on commercially operated superyachts operating under LY3 — giving us direct operational experience of this framework that goes beyond qualification alone.

ISPS Code (SOLAS Chapter XI-2)

CSO certified

The International Ship and Port Facility Security Code governs security management for passenger vessels and cargo ships on international voyages. Our principal consultant holds Lloyd's Maritime Institute Company Security Officer (CSO) certification (July 2026) and conducts ISPS gap analysis and internal security reviews aligned with the Code's requirements.

Maritime Labour Convention 2006 (MLC)

Qualified

The MLC establishes minimum working and living conditions for seafarers. Our Lloyd's Maritime Institute ISM/ISPS/MLC Internal Auditor certification covers MLC compliance review. We conduct MLC gap analysis and internal audits covering crew employment agreements, hours of rest and work, crew accommodation, food and catering, medical care, and welfare provisions.

ISO 14001:2015 — Environmental management

Principles adopted

ISO 14001 provides the framework for identifying and managing environmental impacts. We adopt its principles in our own operations and in advising clients on MARPOL compliance and environmental management provisions within their SMS. We are not currently certified to ISO 14001.

Tokyo MOU on Port State Control

Working knowledge

The Tokyo Memorandum of Understanding on Port State Control governs port state inspections across the Asia-Pacific region, including New Zealand and Australia. Understanding the Tokyo MOU targeting criteria, inspection procedures, and deficiency categories is central to our pre-arrival compliance review work — we prepare vessels to meet the standard PSC officers in this region apply.

A note on New Zealand and Australian regulatory frameworks: Our work in New Zealand is conducted with an understanding of Maritime New Zealand's requirements under the Maritime Transport Act 1994, Maritime Rules (particularly Parts 21, 22, 40A, 40D, and 40F), and the MOSS (Maritime Operator Safety System) framework. In Australia, we work within the framework of the Marine Safety (Domestic Commercial Vessel) National Law Act 2012 and AMSA's survey and audit requirements. Our role is independent of these authorities — we do not conduct audits on behalf of Maritime NZ, AMSA, Recognised Organisations, or flag state administrations. What we provide is the preparation work that sits alongside those statutory processes: internal audits, gap analysis, pre-inspection review, and DPA/CSO services that help vessels and operators arrive at those statutory processes in the strongest possible position.

Questions about our approach or qualifications?

We are happy to discuss our methodology, experience, and applicable certifications in detail before any engagement.