Evaluation of an iso 9001-based integrated management system in a maritime passenger transport company from the perspective of documentation and digital traceability

This study aimed to evaluate the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) 9001-based integrated management system approach in an organization operating in maritime passenger transportation through document, process, and digital traceability indicators. In the maritime sector, service quality, operational safety, occupational health and safety, customer satisfaction, and legal compliance processes are managed in an interrelated manner. Therefore, this study examined ISO 9001 Quality Management System, ISO 45001 Occupational Health and Safety Management System, and International Safety Management (ISM) Code requirements together, and analyzed their relationship with the sample organization's management system documents, operational processes, and Quality Document Management System (QDMS)-supported digital document management structure. A qualitative document analysis approach was used in the study. Within this scope, the sample organization's management system documents, certification scope, procedures, instructions, forms, internal audit plan, corrective action records, training records, and QDMS-supported digital system outputs were evaluated. As a result of the analysis, it was determined that the organization had 780 active documents of different types within the scope of its management system, and that these documents formed a multi-layered structure through procedures, instructions, forms, plans, manuals, and external documents. In addition, ISO 9001, ISO 45001, and ISM Code requirements were found to be associated with processes such as management review, document and record control, internal audit, corrective action, training, customer feedback, navigation, maintenance, emergency preparedness, terminal management, risk assessment, accident and incident management, and survey processes. The study concluded that QDMS-supported digital document management is not an independent structure replacing the integrated management system. Rather, it is a complementary digital infrastructure that supports documented information, revision, approval, internal audit, corrective action, training, and user access processes. The revision of 225 documents in 2025, the existence of 181 corrective action records, the monitoring of the corrective action success rate as 82%, the presence of 60 training titles on the digital training platform, and the definition of 950 users in QDMS indicate the system's digital traceability, record management, and institutional access dimensions. However, these indicators were not interpreted as direct evidence of performance improvement or efficiency gains. Instead, they were evaluated as application findings demonstrating digital traceability within the existing integrated management system. In conclusion, the study shows that the ISO 9001-based integrated management system approach in maritime passenger transportation organizations can be analyzed together with ISO 45001 and ISM Code requirements through document, process, audit, corrective action, training, and digital traceability dimensions. In this respect, the study provides an application-oriented evaluation framework for assessing integrated management systems not only at the level of documents or certificates, but also through operational processes and digital record infrastructure