ISM-ISPS-MLC Lead Internal Auditor
Online Course
Become a certified Lead Internal Auditor in just 55 hours. A fully online, self-paced programme built on ISO 19011:2026 and the auditing of ISM, ISPS and MLC management systems, afloat and ashore.
Integrated auditing of ISM, ISPS and MLC management systems
Develop the knowledge, skills and confidence to conduct effective internal audits of maritime management systems in accordance with the International Safety Management (ISM) Code, the International Ship and Port Facility Security (ISPS) Code, the Maritime Labour Convention (MLC, 2006) and the auditing principles of ISO 19011:2026, Guidelines for Auditing Management Systems.
Designed by experienced maritime professionals, this comprehensive, fully online and self-paced course prepares you to plan, conduct, report and follow up on internal audits of both shipboard and shore-based operations. Through practical examples, real-world case studies and industry best practices, you gain the competence required to evaluate compliance, identify opportunities for improvement and support continual enhancement of safety, security and maritime labour management systems.
Whether you are preparing for a new auditing role or enhancing existing expertise, the course provides the practical knowledge and internationally recognized auditing techniques needed to perform professional internal audits with confidence.
Three lead auditor qualifications, one integrated programme
Classroom lead auditor training is usually bought one standard at a time, with flights, accommodation and days away from the office added to each fee. This programme covers the ISM, ISPS and MLC audit tracks together, delivered entirely online at your own pace, with six months of access to every lesson.
A hardcopy certificate is posted to your address free of charge on successful completion.
On completion of this course, you will be able to:
These outcomes reflect the formal learning outcomes established in the course syllabus.
- ✓Evaluate compliance with the ISM Code, ISPS Code and MLC 2006 across shipboard and shore-based operations.
- ✓Plan, conduct, report and follow up on integrated internal audits in accordance with ISO 19011:2026.
- ✓Apply risk-based auditing principles to identify non-conformities and evaluate management system effectiveness.
- ✓Strengthen communication, leadership and reporting with shipboard personnel, shore management and senior leadership.
- ✓Lead integrated ISM, ISPS and MLC internal audits that support compliance and continual improvement.
Three audit tracks, thirty lessons and a final assessment
Each chapter concludes with multiple-choice questions, followed by the final assessment. Select a track to read its lesson list.
01Course Introduction4 lessons
02ISM Auditor9 lessons
03ISPS Auditor13 lessons
04MLC Auditor8 lessons
05Final Assessment4 lessons
The programme closes with the final assessment, course feedback and your certificate.
A course meeting all of the requirements
This comprehensive course covers all necessary requirements, enabling successful trainees to plan, conduct, report and follow up on an ISM-ISPS-MLC audit, and to apply audit principles in relation to verification for certification.
Download the official course syllabus for the full subject breakdown. Revision 5, 2026.
This course is for professionals involved in the internal audit process and for those who aspire to become competent ISM-ISPS-MLC Internal Auditors, whether shipboard or shore-based.
Globally recognized & industry approved
Virtual Maritime Academy is an Approved Provider of The CPD Group, demonstrating our commitment to delivering high-quality maritime education that meets internationally recognized standards for training excellence.
CPD Approved Provider #783378Proctored online, with a passing mark of 70%
Each chapter concludes with multiple-choice questions, followed by a final assessment. The final assessment is entirely online, with no in-person classroom attendance necessary, and a proctor will monitor you throughout.
As mandated by The CPD Group, you must submit official photo identification before starting the course. A hardcopy certificate is then mailed to your address at no additional cost.
Conforms to the instruments you audit against
The programme addresses the auditing guidelines of ISO 19011:2026 together with the ISM Code, the ISPS Code and MLC 2006, as amended.
Lead integrated ISM, ISPS and MLC audits with confidence
The internal auditor decides whether a management system is working. That means planning the audit, gathering defensible evidence, raising non-conformities that stand up to external scrutiny, and following them through to closure, on board and ashore.
This course gives you the knowledge, the certification and the practical audit method required to carry that responsibility, completed entirely online, in approximately 55 hours, at your own pace.