With safety as the top priority, ClassNK has introduced its “Prime Shipmanagement Guidelines” to help the maritime industry adapt to modern challenges while ensuring sustainable and safe ship management. As the shipping environment evolves—driven by fuel transitions, stricter global regulations, and crew shortages—these guidelines focus on building resilience by learning from successful practices, not just past failures.
A Shift from Risk Elimination to Resilience Engineering
Traditionally, maritime safety strategies have focused on risk elimination by analyzing past incidents. However, with the increasing complexity of modern maritime operations, ClassNK emphasizes a resilience engineering approach—learning from successful outcomes and enhancing adaptability.
At sea, where unpredictable conditions are the norm, flexible decision-making is essential. Human factors remain a leading cause of accidents, and while new technologies and regulations improve operations, they also add complexity. Resilience engineering addresses this by helping crews adapt in real-time, rather than merely avoiding known risks.
Three Pillars of the Guidelines: Competency, Process, and Knowledge Management
The “Prime Shipmanagement Guidelines” outline three key areas for improving ship management in today’s context:
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Competency Management: A framework that ensures all crew members possess the necessary skills and training for their roles, enabling better preparedness and safer decisions at sea.
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Process Management (Functional SMS): The creation of clear, practical manuals that support day-to-day ship operations. These manuals help crews respond to real-world scenarios with greater consistency and confidence.
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Knowledge Management: A system for collecting, organizing, and sharing knowledge across the organization. This includes technical know-how, safety procedures, and operational experience—ensuring lessons learned are accessible to all.
Supporting Sustainable Development in Maritime Safety
ClassNK’s new guidelines align with the principles of the ISM Code but go a step further by addressing current and future challenges. The aim is not just to ensure compliance but to foster continuous improvement in safety, adaptability, and knowledge sharing.
By strengthening these areas, ClassNK hopes to contribute to the sustainable growth of the maritime sector—creating a working environment that is not only safer but also less stressful for seafarers and more efficient for operators.
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Source: ClassNK
