Answer
In maritime safety management, a Management of Change (MOC) is a formal, documented process within the shipboard Safety Management System (SMS) (under ISM Code Clause 1.2.2 and Clause 9). It ensures that temporary or permanent modifications to a ship's structure, critical machinery, control systems, standard operational procedures, or key personnel do not introduce unmanaged safety or environmental risks.
Triggers for an MOC
Modifying structural layout or piping systems (e.g., retrofitting a ballast water treatment system or changing fuel oil lines for biofuels).
Installing unoriginal machinery parts or changing OEM-configured automation software parameters.
Altering a long-standing operational baseline (e.g., reducing safe operating margins or running on a single generator during specific operations).
The Standard MOC Procedure
[Proposal & Scope] ➔ [Risk Assessment] ➔ [Review & Approval] ➔ [Implementation & Training] ➔ [Verification & Closeout]
Proposal & Justification: The initiator outlines what needs to be changed, why, and whether it is temporary or permanent.
Multidisciplinary Risk Assessment: A dedicated team (e.g., Chief Engineer, Master, Technical Superintendent) evaluates hazards introduced by the change. This step explicitly checks if the change voids Class rules, Flag state rules, or manufacturer guarantees.
Review and Approval: The Designated Person Ashore (DPA) or Technical Director signs off on the change after verifying that the risk mitigation controls are adequate.
Implementation & Training: The change is executed. Concurrently, shipboard crew are trained on the new system, and relevant manuals (P&A, SMS, drawings) are updated.
Verification and Closeout: Class or Flag is notified if required for an inspection, and the MOC is formally closed out in the safety system.