Classification society ClassNK has published the "Prime Shipmanagement Guidelines," aiming to achieve sustainable ship management with safety as the highest priority.
Recognizing the evolving environment surrounding ship management—including fuel transitions, stricter regulations, and crew shortages—ClassNK seeks to enable flexible responses to unexpected situations by drawing on lessons learned from successful case studies that had previously received limited attention.
At sea, where unpredictable conditions are common, case-by-case judgment is essential to ensure safe navigation. Studies have indicated that the majority of maritime accidents are caused by human factors.
While technological advancements and the introduction of environmental regulations have contributed to improving the safety and efficiency of ship operations and management, they have also increased the burden on stakeholders by necessitating the acquisition of new knowledge and skills not previously required.
Under such circumstances, relying solely on the conventional approach of eliminating risks based on past failures is no longer sufficient to ensure appropriate responses.
In response, ClassNK has focused on an approach to safety management known as "resilience engineering," which emphasizes analyzing success factors and increasing their likelihood of occurrence, achieving objectives not only through strength but also through adaptability.
Based on these approaches, the guidelines present three points for advancing ship management: competency management, process management (a functional safety management system), and knowledge management.
ClassNK (Nippon Kaiji Kyokai) is a non-profit classification society headquartered in Tokyo, Japan. Established in 1899, it is dedicated to ensuring the safety of life and property at sea and the prevention of marine pollution. ClassNK offers a wide range of services, including ship classification, certification, and technical consulting.