In 1994, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) adopted the International Safety Management Code (ISM Code) as SOLAS convention to ensure the safe operation of ships and to protect marine environment from pollution In December 2002, the IMO adopted the International Ship and Port Facility Security Code (ISPS Code) in the Chapter XI-1 of SOLAS to ensure the security of ships, crew, cargo and port facility. With 1 July 2004 being the coming into effective date of ISPS Code, there is a sense of urgency among the shipping companies and port authorities to accomodate the ISPS Code. Although both the ISM Code and the ISPS Code are based on the management system concept introduced in the ISO 9001, two Codes pursue different objective. Accordingly, it is meaningful to compare and analyze the requirements of three standards. In this article, the backgrounds, principles and requirements of three standards are analyzed and presented to offer several suggestions on the establishment and implementation of security measures in compliance with the ISPS Code to the shipping industry in time.