Physical risk factors on ships are physical hazards arising from the working environment that threaten the health and safety of seafarers, and the assessment of the risks arising from these hazards is very important for sustainable maritime transportation. With this in mind, this study aims to analyze physical risk factors such as noise, thermal comfort conditions, static electricity, vibration, pressure, lighting conditions, weather conditions, and radiation on ships with the AHP and Fine-Kinney methods. According to the findings of this research, slippery floors, radiation, and noise are the most common physical risk factors that personnel working in the ship environment are exposed to. As a result of the weighting made by the analytical hierarchy process (AHP) method, the effect of these factors on occupational health and safety is found to be higher than that of other factors. Risk scoring performed with the Fine-Kinney method revealed that these factors were mostly at risk levels that “require precautions” or “require urgent intervention.” The findings show that physical risk factors affect not only employee health but also operational efficiency and long-term maritime safety. In this context, it is of great importance for ship operators to prioritize and evaluate these risks for the goal of sustainable and safe maritime transportation. In addition, the obtained findings provide important data for improving ship design processes, ergonomically reorganizing working conditions, and systematically monitoring risks.
This cross-sectional observational study evaluated the prevalence and determinants of metabolic syndrome (MetS) among 1432 seafarers aboard 76 trade vessels in the Red Sea. Data collection involved onboard examinations and remote or email-based protocols, encompassing anthropometric, biochemical, and lifestyle assessments. The prevalence of MetS was 27.8%, with higher rates among officers (33.5%) than among ratings (24.8%). Central obesity (81.3%) and elevated blood pressure (72.4%) were the most common components. Multivariate analysis identified age of 40 years or older, officer rank, and physical inactivity as significant predictors. Based on these findings, a novel three-phase maritime health framework is proposed, integrating digital screening, artificial intelligence (AI)-driven risk stratification, and continuous telemedicine monitoring. This model addresses operational challenges in surveillance compliance and aligns with the shipping sector’s digital transformation, providing a predictive and preventive approach to chronic disease management at sea.
The Minamata Convention on Mercury was established to combat the profound global threat posed by mercury and its compounds, which exhibit persistent environmental contamination, bioaccumulation, and long-range atmospheric transport, leading to severe ecological and human health consequences, particularly for vulnerable populations in developing nations. In contrast, the International Convention for the Safe and Environmentally Sound Recycling of Ships (HKC) and the EU Ship Recycling Regulation (EU SRR) permit the use of mercury onboard ships. Furthermore, the current listing in Appendix 2/Annex II of these regulations allows the recycling of existing ships without requiring specific data on the location and quantity of mercury, potentially leading to unintentional environmental releases. This paper analyses data on mercury environmental contamination by ship recycling activities. Considering the projected increase in ship recycling activities in South Asia, there is a significant risk of escalating mercury emissions. Therefore, we recommend that relevant authorities conduct a thorough assessment of the regulatory status of mercury under the HKC and EU SRR to ensure consistency with the Minamata Convention and to mitigate further environmental and health risks.
This paper explores the sociotechnical risk management challenges faced by Maritime Autonomous Surface Ships (MASS) with an emphasis on cybersecurity. As the maritime sector increasingly embraces autonomous vessels to enhance efficiency and safety, it confronts new cybersecurity vulnerabilities and challenges. The paper outlines a comprehensive approach to identifying and mitigating cyber risks by examining the sociotechnical considerations within MASS. It underscores the importance of understanding how cyber threats can compromise the interaction between humans and systems, potentially impacting vessel operations performance and safety. Through a detailed description of the Sociotechnical Array Framework for Evolving Maritime Autonomous Surface Ships (SAFE-MASS), which functions as a sociotechnical transition taxonomy, and by explaining how this can be used for securing MASS this research contributes valuable insights into developing safer and more efficient maritime operations, signaling a trans-formative shift in the industry’s future, especially by examining information technology (IT) and operational technology (OT) integration within MASS highlights the critical need for robust cybersecurity measures in this emerging field.
This study investigates the multidecadal variability of wave and wind dynamics along the Indonesian ALKI 2 shipping lane in the Makassar Strait using ERA-Interim reanalysis data for 39 years (1979–2017). Seven observation points (K1–K7) were analyzed from northern Kalimantan to the southern strait. Key parameters include Significant Wave Height (SWH), Mean Wave Period (MWP), and 10-meter wind speed. The results reveal significant spatial and seasonal variability influenced by the monsoon system and local topographic effects. The northern points exhibit higher wave energy during DJF (December–February), while the southern points are more active in JJA (June–August), consistent with the prevailing seasonal winds. Trend analysis shows a weak but statistically significant increase in MWP at certain locations. These insights are critical for the development of maritime infrastructure and risk mitigation strategies associated with Indonesia’s new capital city (IKN Nusantara), located near this important shipping corridor.
The FSCIR A1 ice class ships are designed to navigate in non-Arctic waters, but they may operate in polar waters under specified ice conditions. This work took into consideration speed and ice conditions limiting movement of the ship in ice during independent voyage and with icebreaker escort. Same time, the safety of the ship was analysed, taking into account the ship's draft, so that the restrictions resulting from the width of the hull ice strengthening belt and the possibility of damage to the propeller were met.
Enhancing navigational safety of hazardous cargo vessels constitutes a critical imperative for sustaining maritime transportation system stability and fostering sustainable industry development. Based on the developed database containing 106 accident reports involving hazardous cargo vessels collected from the International Maritime Organization (IMO), this study aims to analyze the key risk influencing factors (RIFs) contributing to the maritime traffic accidents. Utilizing text analysis, the research first identifies critical RIFs across five primary domains, which are human, vessel, cargo, environment, and management. A Bayesian network model is subsequently developed to map out the interrelationships among these identified navigational safety RIFs. The findings suggest that factors such as "insufficient personnel training," "inadequate safety inspections," "flammable and explosive cargo," "inadequate hazardous goods management," and "pollutant and toxic cargo" exert the most pronounced influence on maritime traffic accidents. Based on these pivotal RIFs and their evolutionary trajectories, this paper can offer theoretical support for enhancing the navigational safety of hazardous cargo vessels.
The purpose of this article is to analyze the risk related to the transfer of personnel via shipboard crane and Personnel Transfer Basket (PTB) during Ship to Ship (STS) operation offshore. The process of transferring personnel between two vessels or units offshore can be dangerous and is considered to be a high-risk operation. It is possible for accidents to occur that can result in serious injury or death. The study contains an analysis of risk assessment during marine personnel transfer operations from one unit to another, and a presentation of examples of documentation used in some maritime companies. It is also the answer to the question of what procedures should be followed to minimize the risk of marine accidents during personnel transfer offshore via shipboard crane and PTB.
Abandonment of seafarers is one of the most severe challenges faced by maritime workers and is defined in the Maritime Labour Convention 2006 (MLC 2006). It refers to a situation where shipowners fail to meet their obligations, such as wages, repatriation or essential resources such as food, water and medical care, leaving seafarers stranded and without necessary support for an extended period. This paper analyses the cases of abandonment available in the joint International Labour Organisation (ILO) / International Maritime Organisation (IMO) database on abandonment of seafarers from 2019 to the end of 2024. The analysis focuses on the different roles of flag state, port state and International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF). The most frequently abandoned ship flags were compared with the white, grey and black list of the Paris Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) and the MLC 2006 detention database. Despite international conventions, there are still cases of abandonment worldwide, and they have a constant upward trend. In the analysed period, 795 cases of abandonment were registered. 72,45% of all cases reported in the analysed period, occurred within the last three years. 75,47% of all abandonment incidents involved ships registered under the Flag of Convenience. In resolving abandonment cases, all entities involved, such as the ILO, IMO, ITF, flag state and port state need to work together to resolve abandonment cases as quickly as possible, considering the mental health and well-being of seafarers. The paper proposes measures to strengthen the protection of seafarers and ensure accountability in the maritime industry.
This article discusses the fire hazard of motor yachts that are up to 15 meters long. These types of recreational units, in accordance with legal regulations, are not subject to safety inspections. This may lead to negligence that results in a fire within a unit. The construction material most commonly used in the construction of yachts is glass fiber-reinforced plastic, used to produce components such as the hull, deck, and superstructure of motor yachts. The yacht’s equipment, such as furniture and other components, is made, among others, of wood, wood-based materials, or plastics. The results of the flammability tests of such materials presented in this article indicate the need to minimize the risk of fire, the effects of which may be dangerous both to human health and life, as well as the environment.
Purpose: The purpose of this study is to assess the impact of the planned location of the FSRU (Floating Storage Regasification Unit) terminal in the waters of the Gulf of Gdańsk with respect to the safety of navigation. The analysis is focused on determining the intensity of traffic of different classes of sea vessels in the approach area to the port of Gdańsk, indicating an increased risk of potential collision scenarios. The study covers the frequency of vessel passage through the two control gates, allowing the application of probabilistic risk assessment models for future LNG transhipment operations. Design/methodology/approach: The study used in the article consisted of examining how the intensity and structure of traffic of various types of vessels in the approach channels to the Port of Gdańsk affect the collision risk level in the context of maritime safety of the planned FSRU terminal construction. Findings: Probabilistic modelling of the number of collisions between vessels based on AIS gate data showed that cargo and container vessels pose the greatest collision risk due to their frequent movements and variable traffic intensity. The possibility of manoeuvring collisions involving passenger, service and fishing vessels was also identified. The study points to the need to implement flexible traffic management and tools for safety prediction and management. Research limitations/implications: The probabilistic models used are effective in the overall assessment of dynamics, but do not fully reflect the complexity of interactions between ships and the impact of hydrometeorological conditions. The assumptions made about the randomness and independence of events do not take into account actual operational procedures, such as entry schedules or pilotage. In the future, it would be worthwhile to broaden the approach to the issue by including models that take into account seasonal variations in vessel traffic and environmental data in order to increase the accuracy of hazard forecasting and support safety decisions in the FSRU terminal area. Practical implications: The results of the study can be used in the planning and organisation of maritime traffic in the Port of Gdańsk area, particularly in the context of integration with the operation of the FSRU terminal. The proposed approach makes it possible to predict potential collision situations. The implementation of such a model can improve navigational safety, increase fairway capacity and reduce the risk of congestion or incidents. For port operators and traffic management institutions, such as VTS, this means more efficient resource management and better preparation for handling special vessels, such as LNG. Originality/value: The paper presents the application of probabilistic models based on AIS data to assess navigational safety in the area of the planned FSRU investment. The value of the study lies in its practical approach to navigational safety analysis with a view to the future operation of the terminal. The results may be useful for maritime traffic management authorities, port planners and teams responsible for assessing the impact on the marine environment. The method developed can also be used in other ports with a similar traffic structure.
The effectiveness of cruise/passenger ship evacuation is influenced by multiple factors. This paper investigates the limitations of current evacuation protocols by examining crew training practices, human behavioral and psychological patterns during emergencies, ship design innovations and constraints, as well as factors not under human control such as weather, sea state, and specific type of emergency. Furthermore, it provides a comparative analysis between available literature around various factors that can determine the outcome of a cruise/ passenger ship evacuation, and empirical data obtained from responses of approximately 100 seafarers employed in the cruise and passenger ship industry. Related data revolves around key areas such as drills, ashore training, psychological impact, decision making, evacuation practices and preparedness, and evacuation equipment. Seafarers (along with passengers) are directly and most affected during a ship emergency, therefore uncovering existing regulatory gaps, boosting the safety culture onboard ships, and providing solutions that will enhance the safe evacuation practices (and ultimately save more lives) are clearly actions of priority.
The article presents a current status of the marine radio operators certificates required by the Radio Regulations of the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) and the International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers (STCW Convention) of the International Maritime Organization (IMO). Analysis of the international requirements for the radio operators certificates was carried out. The process of obtaining certificates for radio operators and statistics of selected data of this process in Poland have been presented. It also describes a training for radio operators at the Gdynia Maritime University (GMU). At the end of the article a future of marine radio operator certification requirements have been discussed.
Maritime transport remains integral to the global economy, facilitating the cost-efficient and scalable movement of cargo and individuals over varying distances. Modern and effective ship routing solutions not only minimize voyage time and operational costs (including fuel consumption), but also improve resource allocation and environmental sustainability. Their planning process relies heavily on optimization algorithms capable of addressing numerous environmental and operational constraints, particularly in the context of dynamic and often unpredictable weather conditions. A widely adopted approach in the literature is to formulate the ship route optimization problem as a multi-objective optimization (MOO) task, incorporating both static and dynamic constraints. The complexity of this formulation increases significantly when uncertainties related to weather conditions and ship behaviour are introduced, further complicating the optimization process. Meta-heuristic algorithms have gained prominence as effective tools for addressing i.e. complex multi-objective, constrained and nonlinear problems. Despite their demonstrated computational efficiency, the overall process of ship weather route optimization often remains computationally intensive, posing significant challenges for real-time or near-real-time applications in operational maritime contexts. High Performance Computing (HPC) emerges as a viable approach to overcome this limitation. HPC refers mostly to the use of advanced computational systems composed of parallel processing architectures (such as CUDA, OpenMP, MPI, among others) to solve much faster and more efficiently complex and data-intensive problems. Originating in scientific research domains, HPC technologies have rapidly evolved and are now being applied to support solving a wide range of problem in computer science and engineering. Employing HPC-enabled computations allows for designing a scalable and efficient framework for tackling the growing complexity of ship weather routing. This paper discusses the possibilities of HPC integration with MOO for ship weather routing, aiming to demonstrate how HPC-enabled methodologies can improve the performance and real-life applicability of the routing systems.
Human errors in maritime operations are closely linked to seafarers' mental workload; however, traditional assessment methods lack real-time neurocognitive resolution. This study introduces a novel psychophysiological framework that integrates electroencephalography (EEG) analysis with deep learning to objectively quantify seafarers' mental workload during onboard operations. A high-fidelity bridge simulator was utilized to generate critical maritime scenarios, including ship encounters, narrow channel navigation, poor visibility, and emergency responses. High-density EEG signals were analyzed to extract spectral features (Gamma, Beta, Alpha, Theta, Delta). A hybrid Convolutional Neural Network-Bidirectional Long Short-Term Memory (CNN-BiLSTM) model was proposed to classify workload states of seafarers, combining Convolutional Neural Network (CNN)-extracted frequency patterns with Bidirectional Long Short-Term Memory (Bi-LSTM)-captured temporal dynamics, which achieves 96% accuracy. Furthermore, SHAP interpretability analysis indicated that Theta and Alpha frequencies are key indicators in distinguishing between high and low workloads for seafarers. These results provide a quantitative tool for cognitive assessment of seafarers in maritime training and serve as a guideline for workload allocation in ship bridge teams for shipping companies and maritime authorities.
In contemporary maritime navigation, ships in distress primarily rely on satellite systems in conjunction with radio systems within the framework of the Global Maritime Distress and Safety System (GMDSS) to transmit distress signals. However, the insufficient confidentiality of satellite data enables pirates engaged in ship hijacking to intercept these signals, potentially endangering the safety of hostages on board. Additionally, the high communication costs associated with satellite information transmission often discourage fishing ships from incurring these expenses. Given these cost constraints, this study seeks to develop an intelligent emergency distress notification method integrated with the Automatic Identification System (AIS). Specifically, this study introduces an innovative intelligent radio emergency notification system by incorporating the concept of radio relay stations. The proposed system integrates the Genetic Algorithm (GA) with the Maritime Geographic Information System (MGIS) as an alternative rescue method for ships in distress. The system collects all relevant information from the distressed ship through shore stations, enabling it to respond to the ship and verify the receipt of distress messages transmitted via AIS. The proposed method functions as an intermediary for distress signal transmission and confirmation. By gathering ship positions, it establishes a mobile network for message dissemination, thereby enhancing the reliability and efficiency of emergency distress communications at sea.
This paper explores the impact of the Electronic Chart Display and Information System (ECDIS) on the safety of navigation and seafarers’ professional practices. As ECDIS has become the primary tool for navigation, its proper use is critical for ensuring safe maritime operations. Drawing on data from a questionnaire completed by 154 active seafarers, this research investigates how ECDIS influences situational awareness, the use and management of safety settings, training adequacy, and system-related challenges. The findings reveal that while most respondents recognise ECDIS as a tool that enhances navigational safety, significant concerns remain regarding human error, insufficient training, and inconsistent application of safety settings such as the safety contour. Additionally, steering errors during restricted water manoeuvres and system crashes emerged as recurrent safety concerns. The study highlights the need for improved standardisation, targeted training, and more effective integration of human and technological elements to ensure optimal ECDIS use. The results offer actionable insights for enhancing ECDIS implementation and maritime safety standards.
In work analytical expressions are resulted for a calculation minimum - possible distance of rapprochement in the case of application of domains of elliptic and difficult form. Shown graphic dependence minimum - possible distance of rapprochement from foreshortening of ships which are drawn together, for the domains of both types. It is shown that the domains of elliptic and difficult form have a similar character of change minimum - possible distance of rapprochement depending on foreshortening of ships.
The maritime sector’s rapid digital transformation – including the integration of IT and operational technology (OT) systems and the rise of autonomous vessels – has significantly expanded the cyberattack surface[1] . Artificial Intelligence (AI) now plays a dual role in this landscape, acting as both a powerful enabler of cyberattacks and a critical tool for cybersecurity defense [2] . This paper explores current and emerging uses of AI in offensive and defensive cyber operations targeting maritime systems and infrastructure. On the offensive side, threat actors are leveraging AI for sophisticated attacks such as AI-generated spear phishing, polymorphic malware generation, GPS spoofing, and manipulation of industrial control systems (ICS)[3], [4]. On the defensive side, AI is employed in anomaly detection, predictive analytics, autonomous vessel and port monitoring, and other security applications[5]. The paper also examines vulnerabilities of AI itself – including adversarial attacks, data poisoning, and model manipulation – and discusses strategies to enhance maritime cyber resilience. Key strategies include the use of digital twin simulations, AI-driven deception (honeypots), adversarial training, explainable AI, and international cooperation for information sharing. By analyzing both offensive and defensive developments, this study provides a comprehensive perspective on the dual-use nature of AI in shaping the future of maritime cybersecurity.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) can be simply approached as the (effective) simulation of human intelligence processes by computer systems. The issue of Maritime Autonomous Surface Ships (MASS), based on support by numerous AI applications, is providing a quite disruptive picture of how the shipping industry may be transformed in the future. After the necessary clarification of terms, a summary of certain important legal developments in relation to the on-going introduction of MASS type vessels into full service is provided. The role of trustworthy AI applications that can reliably serve the associated decision-making tasks is also discussed. In the near future, the vast majority of maritime transport needs will continue to be served by those vessels termed as “conventional” (regularly manned ships); the shipping industry is well known for its risk adverse behaviour and a slow pace of adaptation towards this new operating paradigm is the most probable path of adoption.
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