Partnership Driving Continuous Improvement: BOSSS Marine and DNV’s Journey to QMS Excellence
Over the past three years, BOSSS Marine, one of Africa’s leading integrated marine safety service providers, has been on a transformative journey to strengthen its Quality Management System. With operations in Ghana, Nigeria, Namibia, Mauritius, and South Africa, BOSSS Marine plays a critical role in safeguarding maritime operations through technical expertise, high-quality equipment services, and a culture of safety. Through BOSSS Marine’s internal improvement programme, informed by DNV’s independent ISO 9001 certification audits, the company has elevated QMS processes, embedded continuous improvement at all levels, and set new benchmarks for operational excellence in the maritime sector.
A Partnership Anchored in Improvement
The internal QMS improvement programme, launched in 2023, aimed to go beyond basic compliance. Each DNV audit provided an objective assessment against ISO 9001, clearly communicating nonconformities and observations within BOSSS Marine’s operational context.
Rather than viewing audits as one-off assessments, BOSSS Marine utilized audit findings as learning inputs, aligning Non-Conformity Reports and observations with its mission to reduce risk and increase customer satisfaction.
Enhancing Core Maritime Safety Processes
A central achievement has been the refinement of BOSSS Marine’s NCR and risk and opportunity procedures. Insights from certification audits and BOSSS Marine’s follow-up actions were reflected in improvements in:
- The speed and accuracy of reporting
- The effectiveness of risk assessment and tracking
- The use of opportunities for proactive improvement
These process gains have strengthened BOSSS Marine’s ability to deliver consistent, high-quality services to clients across Africa.
Leadership and Ownership at the Core of QMS
“A great team can only be built through hard work, positivity, and continuous teamwork. This has been well supported in the manner in which the DNV audits have been carried out.”
— Dave Tyler, Quality Systems Manager, BOSSS Marine
Driving this transformation has been the empowerment of Business Responsible Quality (BRQ) owners. Through targeted training and more transparent accountability, leadership has ensured that BRQ owners take full responsibility for their processes.
The result is stronger measurement, better reporting, and higher-quality outputs from the QMS, improvements fully understood and supported by DNV’s certification auditing approach.
Culture of Teamwork and Continuous Learning
Beyond process enhancements, BOSSS Marine’s QMS success is built on its culture. The company actively promotes teamwork, positivity, and knowledge sharing, embedding these values into its daily operations. DNV’s transparent, evidence-based certification audits have reinforced this culture, helping to sustain progress year after year.
Looking Ahead
With a robust QMS, refined operational procedures, and a culture committed to improvement, BOSSS Marine is well-positioned to meet future maritime challenges with confidence. The partnership with DNV will continue to provide the independent expertise and assurance needed to drive ongoing success, ensuring safety and customer satisfaction remain at the heart of everything they do.