Safety in marine and maritime operations: Uniting systems and practice

Marine and maritime operations are various in terms of purpose and complexity, and the safety management of these operations can be approached from many angles. Some of the safety research is thus specialized within one discipline or operation, although the industry could benefit from a broader analysis. This virtual special issue (VSI) brings forward research combining fields and methods, with results relevant beyond the studied operations. The 14 articles offer a peek into the multidisciplinary research of safety at sea. They include research areas such as risk assessment and risk modelling, accident data analysis, and the human element and work organization.

The results have several contributions to science and practice. Operations with particular outcome include fish farming; ship-to-ship collision ; coastal rescue; and different types of fishing. The combination of studies contributes largely to solve major long-lasting problems for marine and maritime safety: Fatigue; proceduralized safety management and the lack of flexibility; drills; and the heavy duties and limited resources of short sea shipping. There are numerous suggestions of how safety can be improved by regulators, industry actors, and advances in safety science. The totality in the studies supports that safety at sea requires an integration of system perspectives and practice.