Psychological safety is vital for a future-ready crew

August 2 ------ Human skills are fundamental to safe vessel operations, effective leadership and crew retention, experts stressed during a panel discussion at the 2026 Crew Welfare Week.

Speakers argued that communication, empathy, critical thinking and adaptability should not be treated as secondary to technical competence. As shipping becomes more digital, diverse and technologically complex, the industry must modernize how it recruits, trains and develops its people while creating an environment in which every crew member feels able to speak up.

Moderated by Kostas Katsoulieris, P&I Claims Director – Greece, NorthStandard, the panel featured Stewart Bankier, Group Director Maritime HR (Learning and Development), Columbia Group; Rob Gale, Head of Training, IMEC; and Selena Jones, CEO, Seaman Solutions.

Human skills are not “soft”

A central message from the panel was that the term “soft skills” can understate the importance of the capabilities required to work safely and effectively with others. Gale said he prefers the term “human skills” because describing them as soft may imply that they are less important than technical competence. "In some cases, I think human skills are actually more important than competence," he said.

The maritime industry has strong systems for verifying technical knowledge and certification. However, communication failures, poor teamwork and an inability to challenge unsafe decisions can undermine even the highest levels of technical competence.

Jones agreed that human skills can directly affect accident prevention. Poor communication between nationalities, ranks or generations can create misunderstandings and prevent crews from collaborating effectively. "Having good communication within the crew can prevent accidents. That is how important these human skills are," she said.

Bankier added that shipping remains fundamentally a people-centered industry. Competence is essential, but people determine whether procedures, teamwork and operations function as intended. “Human skills turn into behaviors, and behaviors drive many things onboard,” he explained. “If the only thing driving the operation is performance and competence, ultimately you do not get safety either.”

Communication, empathy and critical thinking

When asked which human skills are most important for modern shipping, the speakers identified communication, conflict resolution, empathy and critical thinking.

Jones highlighted the challenge of bringing together experienced seafarers accustomed to traditional working methods and younger people who are more familiar with digital technologies. Communication between these generations will be essential as new fuels, equipment and operating practices are introduced.

Gale selected critical thinking, arguing that crews must be able to look beyond the immediate problem, examine its causes and identify practical solutions.

He recalled a case involving open hatches in an engine room, where further analysis resulted in a simple but effective preventive measure. “The solution is only possible if you do a little digging and apply critical thinking,” he said.

Bankier focused on empathy. Seafaring remains a demanding profession characterized by isolation, environmental pressures and challenging working conditions. While those realities have not suddenly changed, society and workforce expectations have. "If we are to attract and retain the next generation of seafarers, we need more empathy and understanding. We need to understand our people a lot more," he said.

Empathy does not mean weakening rules or lowering standards. Instead, it means understanding how people experience the workplace and recognizing how leadership behavior affects performance, motivation and retention.

Culture can override systems and strategy

The discussion repeatedly returned to the influence of company and onboard culture. Katsoulieris noted that even well-designed systems and highly trained crews can fail when the prevailing culture discourages collaboration or open communication. “Culture eats strategy for breakfast,” he said. “No matter how good your systems are or how highly trained the crew may be, if the culture is bad, bad things can happen.”

A positive culture must be visible in everyday behavior rather than existing only in policies or corporate statements. Crew members should be treated respectfully, encouraged to ask questions and confident that safety concerns will be taken seriously.

Culture is also created throughout the organization, not only by the master or chief engineer. Gale stressed that meaningful change requires engagement from senior executives and owners through to every person working onboard and ashore. “Culture, behavior and attitude come from the top,” he said. “Everyone needs to understand the philosophy of what the organization is trying to change.”

Training must become more practical and inclusive

The energy transition and digitalization will require new technical capabilities, but the panel cautioned against assuming that seafarers are resistant to change.

Gale said the industry should recognize and celebrate the adaptability already demonstrated by maritime professionals. "You throw seafarers something new and they will figure it out. That is something the industry should be proud of, and we do not celebrate it enough," he said. The greater challenge may be ensuring that training is timely, practical and suited to different learning styles.

Jones called for a continuous-learning culture, noting that the transition to alternative fuels and new technologies will not be completed through one course or a single period of retraining. Seafarers must be supported in regularly updating their knowledge as technologies and requirements evolve.

Gale highlighted work under the Maritime Just Transition Task Force to develop practical training frameworks with input from industry organizations, research bodies and social partners. Importantly, these frameworks include tools for teaching onboard rather than relying exclusively on academy-based or theoretical instruction. The industry should also move away from overly dictatorial teaching styles, he said, and consider visual learning, simulation, virtual and augmented reality, mentoring and other methods that encourage participation.

Leadership is required at every rank

For Bankier, leadership is the concept that connects nearly all the skills discussed by the panel. Empathy, communication, teamwork, decision-making, critical thinking, coaching and mentoring are all involved in leadership,” he said.

Leadership should not be associated exclusively with masters and chief engineers. Every rank can demonstrate leadership through personal responsibility, collaboration, self-awareness and the willingness to support others.

Self-awareness is particularly important in multicultural environments. Seafarers need to understand how their own behavior and communication style may be interpreted by people from different cultures or generations.

However, Bankier argued that leadership remains underrepresented within maritime regulation and traditional training. "I do not think the industry fully understands what leadership means and the critical role it can play," he said. Columbia Group is therefore rolling out a new leadership course focused on these behaviors and their practical application onboard.

Recruitment should examine behavior and motivation

The panel also questioned whether conventional psychometric testing remains the best way to select future seafarers.

Gale said such tests may identify certain concerning characteristics but often provide an incomplete picture of a person’s attitude, motivation and suitability for a maritime career. “Psychometric testing has served its purpose in the past, but I am not sure it is fully fit for purpose anymore,” he said.

IMEC is examining broader recruitment approaches that combine interviews, competence assessments and evidence of behavior, ambition and willingness to learn.

Bankier described a similar transition from standard interviews towards a more holistic selection process. “We know we can train people to become technically competent,” he said. “What we need to understand is their behavior, attitude, motivation and why they want to do the job.” This approach could help companies identify candidates who are capable not only of passing examinations but also of adapting, collaborating and developing over a long-term career.

Seafarers need greater career visibility

Career development and transparency were also identified as important for retaining talent.

Bankier said the traditional cadet-to-master or cadet-to-chief-engineer pathway may no longer meet the expectations of every new entrant. Shipping companies should offer clearer information about internships, shore assignments and opportunities to move between sea and shore without damaging career progression. “We need to offer seafarers a range of options,” he said. “A lot of the issue is that we are not very transparent about what we are offering.”

Jones similarly highlighted the breadth of qualifications and transferable skills held by many seafarers. “We need to give seafarers greater visibility over their careers,” she said. “They are well prepared not only for work at sea but also for many types of jobs ashore.”

Showing how existing certificates and experience can support wider development could make maritime careers more attractive while helping the industry retain knowledge and address officer shortages.

Psychological safety requires action, not an open-door claim

A psychologically safe environment allows crew members to ask questions, suggest improvements, report mistakes and stop work when conditions are unsafe.

Bankier said companies need supporting systems, including open-reporting arrangements, complaints procedures, designated person ashore channels and stop-work authority. However, procedures alone will not make people feel safe. “If a captain wears four stripes and says, ‘My door is always open,’ that is not enough,” he said.

Senior officers must actively explain how concerns can be raised and repeatedly demonstrate through their behavior that challenges will be accepted rather than punished.

Crew members should feel confident questioning a technical, navigational or safety decision before it leads to an incident. “Their everyday actions need to show: ‘I am on a ship where I can say something and no one is going to shoot me down,’” Bankier explained.

Gale added that organizations can only respond to problems when they hear about them. “We can only act if we hear,” he said. "If seafarers need to stop something because there is a safety hazard or another risk, they should feel comfortable doing that," Concluding the discussion, Jones called on the industry to invest in the people who sustain global trade. “We need to invest in the people who power our world and create safe environments in which they can thrive,” she said.

Source: safety4sea.com