CK Line certified ISM-ISO simultaneously

CK Line, a near sea liner focused on Korea/Japan and Korea/China, hel
d a ceremony for its ISM-ISO (International Ship Management - Internat
ional Organization for Standardization) certification from the Korean
Register of Shipping in a meeting room at the CK Line headquarters Nov
ember 28th. Chun Sung-kyu, chairman and president of the Korean Regist
er of Shipping, said "It is so meaningful to us for CK Line to obtain
ISM-ISO certification because it is not a mandatory regulation for shi
pping companies to get an ISO9002 certificate, not like ISM, a mandato
ry case." The ISM code guarantees the best conditions for vessels to o
perate and be kept, while ISO 9002 discloses quality innovation on lan
d transportation. "To receive ISO-ISM certification at the same time m
ight mean being qualified to carry on land and sea," said a KR officia
l. Because the ISM certification is compulsory, every shipping company
has to be certified as ISM compliant. However, not even half of the s
hipping lines have been ISO 9002 certified.

ISM-ISO certification is valid for a 3-year period. Acquiring certifi
cation needs time and money, but to keep them will also require a grea
t deal of work. A KR official said "to maintain ISM-ISO in good standi
ng, CK has to show careful concern for it. They have to send their wor
kers to study the basics of ISM-ISO continuously, and to make quality
controllers perform their role in ensuring standards are strictly enfo
rced.