Safety Management Systems
Furness Maritime Services provides Safety Management System (SMS) support for maritime operators who need documentation that is not only compliant, but genuinely workable on board.
We specialise in simplification, restructure, and content design so that procedures, checklists, and guidance are clear at the point of use — where decisions are made and work is actually carried out.
Practical Safety Management Systems — clear at the point of use
The goal is straightforward: reduce inefficiency, improve comprehension, and strengthen safety outcomes without creating paperwork for paperwork’s sake.
Standards and compliance
Whether you have an existing system that has grown too complex, or you need content created from scratch, we can support:
Full SMS restructure and consolidation
Removal of duplication and conflicting guidance
Rewriting procedures for clarity and consistency
Improving document governance and control
Creating templates and standards for fleet-wide use
The emphasis is on usability — the system should make operations easier, not harder.
“Clear at the point of use”
A recurring weakness in management systems is that content is written for auditors, not users.
We design SMS content so it is:
Direct and readable
Structured for quick use during operations
Written with second-language English users in mind
Built around real shipboard workflows and constraints
This is particularly important for multinational crews, where comprehension and consistency are essential for safety and operational assurance.
What we do
SMS design, restructure, and simplification
Whether you have an existing system that has grown too complex, or you need content created from scratch, we can support:
Full SMS restructure and consolidation
Removal of duplication and conflicting guidance
Rewriting procedures for clarity and consistency
Improving document governance and control
Creating templates and standards for fleet-wide use
The emphasis is on usability — the system should make operations easier, not harder.
How we work
Remote SMS support
Efficient and effective for many projects — including:
Document review and rewrite
Restructure and consolidation
Template creation and document standards
Audit preparation and closing actions
On-board and shoreside visits
Where beneficial, we can attend vessels or offices to:
Observe the realities of work-as-done (not just work-as-imagined)
Identify procedural gaps and friction points
Interview key personnel
Validate whether SMS controls actually function in practice
This approach ensures the system reflects operations — and operations can rely on the system.
Experience that's already delivering
We have direct experience supporting major maritime operations with SMS improvement work, including simplification and restructuring of complex documentation into clearer, consolidated formats.
We have also been involved in the build and evolution of next-generation, digitally enabled safety management approaches — understanding what works, what fails, and why.
This isn’t theoretical. It’s based on delivery.
What clients can expect
Clients engaging Furness Maritime Services for SMS support can expect:
Practical, implementable writing
A clean structure that crews can navigate
Reduced duplication and “policy sprawl”
Clear traceability to compliance requirements
Better usability across multilingual crews
Documentation that supports operations, not distracts from them
Clear at the point of use isn’t a slogan — it’s the test.