Subscribe to our Mailing Lists (It's free!)
Thursday, July 3, 2025
SAFETY4SEA
  • Home
  • Safety
    • All
    • Accidents
    • Alerts
    • Loss Prevention
    • Maritime Health
    • Regulation
    • Safety
    • Seafarers
    • Security
    AP Companies: How physical and mental well-being shape happier ships

    AP Companies: How physical and mental well-being shape happier ships

    bali indonesia

    Ferry sinks off Bali with multiple casualties

    Year in Review: How the Russian invasion of Ukraine affected shipping in 2022

    LR: New requirements for lifting appliances and anchor winches

    Ten tips to improve situational awareness onboard

    Two crew members accused over deadly tanker collision

  • SEAFiT
    • All
    • Intellectual
    • Mental
    • Physical
    • Social
    • Spiritual
    neck pain

    Neck pain: A growing health concern for maritime workers

    Book Review: Building leaders the MMMA way

    Book Review: Feel grounded and think positive in 10 simple steps

    time

    Stay SEAFiT: Time is non-renewable – invest it wisely

    public speaking

    8 Key rules of Public Speaking

  • Green
    • All
    • Arctic
    • Ballast
    • Emissions
    • Fuels
    • Green Shipping
    • Pollution
    • Ship Recycling
    • Technology
    hull

    AkzoNobel: Quality antifouling coatings can help with CII and EEXI compliance

    nuclear power

    Nuclear shipping inches closer to reality: Latest developments

    nuclear energy ABS

    Consortium advances floating nuclear power for the Mediterranean

    CSA scrubbers

    CSA urges OSPAR to improve understanding before enacting scrubber ban

  • Smart
    • All
    • Connectivity
    • Cyber Security
    • E-navigation
    • Energy Efficiency
    • Maritime Software
    • Smart
    connectivity

    Innovating ocean safety: Intellian’s unified vision for connectivity and GMDSS

    autonomous navigation

    New deal aims to advance autonomous navigation technology

    abs training center

    ABS opens smart training center in Athens

    iaph cyber security

    IAPH releases cyber security guidelines for new port technologies

  • Risk
    • All
    • CIC
    • Detentions
    • Fines
    • PSC Focus
    • Vetting
    OCIMF

    OCIMF Annual Report 2025: SIRE 2.0 a welcome change for the industry

    USCG

    ABS PSC Report Q1 2025: 526 total vessels detained

    paris mou lists

    Paris MoU 2024 Performance lists

    PSC

    AMSA Annual PSC Report: ISM-related deficiencies on the lead

  • Others
    • All
    • Diversity in shipping
    • Maritime Knowledge
    • Offshore
    • Ports
    • Shipping
    • Sustainability
    • Videos
    European Commission EU

    EU in discussions over maritime and port strategies

    underwater noise from ships

    AMSA: Reduction of underwater radiated noise from shipping

    nuclear energy ABS

    Consortium advances floating nuclear power for the Mediterranean

    Germany shadow fleet

    German Government increases vigilance in the Baltic Sea

  • Columns
    AMPI: Seafarers face critical risks in pilot transfer rigging

    AMPI: Seafarers face critical risks in pilot transfer rigging

    connectivity

    Innovating ocean safety: Intellian’s unified vision for connectivity and GMDSS

    human factor organizational safety

    Cracking the safety code: Why human factors matter

    Trending Tags

    • Anchor Your Health
    • Book Review
    • Career Paths
    • Human Performance
    • Industry Voices
    • Interviews
    • Maripedia
    • Maritime History
    • Regulatory Update
    • Resilience
    • Seafarers Stories
    • SeaSense
    • Training & Development
    • Wellness Corner
    • Wellness Tips
  • Events
  • Plus
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Safety
    • All
    • Accidents
    • Alerts
    • Loss Prevention
    • Maritime Health
    • Regulation
    • Safety
    • Seafarers
    • Security
    AP Companies: How physical and mental well-being shape happier ships

    AP Companies: How physical and mental well-being shape happier ships

    bali indonesia

    Ferry sinks off Bali with multiple casualties

    Year in Review: How the Russian invasion of Ukraine affected shipping in 2022

    LR: New requirements for lifting appliances and anchor winches

    Ten tips to improve situational awareness onboard

    Two crew members accused over deadly tanker collision

  • SEAFiT
    • All
    • Intellectual
    • Mental
    • Physical
    • Social
    • Spiritual
    neck pain

    Neck pain: A growing health concern for maritime workers

    Book Review: Building leaders the MMMA way

    Book Review: Feel grounded and think positive in 10 simple steps

    time

    Stay SEAFiT: Time is non-renewable – invest it wisely

    public speaking

    8 Key rules of Public Speaking

  • Green
    • All
    • Arctic
    • Ballast
    • Emissions
    • Fuels
    • Green Shipping
    • Pollution
    • Ship Recycling
    • Technology
    hull

    AkzoNobel: Quality antifouling coatings can help with CII and EEXI compliance

    nuclear power

    Nuclear shipping inches closer to reality: Latest developments

    nuclear energy ABS

    Consortium advances floating nuclear power for the Mediterranean

    CSA scrubbers

    CSA urges OSPAR to improve understanding before enacting scrubber ban

  • Smart
    • All
    • Connectivity
    • Cyber Security
    • E-navigation
    • Energy Efficiency
    • Maritime Software
    • Smart
    connectivity

    Innovating ocean safety: Intellian’s unified vision for connectivity and GMDSS

    autonomous navigation

    New deal aims to advance autonomous navigation technology

    abs training center

    ABS opens smart training center in Athens

    iaph cyber security

    IAPH releases cyber security guidelines for new port technologies

  • Risk
    • All
    • CIC
    • Detentions
    • Fines
    • PSC Focus
    • Vetting
    OCIMF

    OCIMF Annual Report 2025: SIRE 2.0 a welcome change for the industry

    USCG

    ABS PSC Report Q1 2025: 526 total vessels detained

    paris mou lists

    Paris MoU 2024 Performance lists

    PSC

    AMSA Annual PSC Report: ISM-related deficiencies on the lead

  • Others
    • All
    • Diversity in shipping
    • Maritime Knowledge
    • Offshore
    • Ports
    • Shipping
    • Sustainability
    • Videos
    European Commission EU

    EU in discussions over maritime and port strategies

    underwater noise from ships

    AMSA: Reduction of underwater radiated noise from shipping

    nuclear energy ABS

    Consortium advances floating nuclear power for the Mediterranean

    Germany shadow fleet

    German Government increases vigilance in the Baltic Sea

  • Columns
    AMPI: Seafarers face critical risks in pilot transfer rigging

    AMPI: Seafarers face critical risks in pilot transfer rigging

    connectivity

    Innovating ocean safety: Intellian’s unified vision for connectivity and GMDSS

    human factor organizational safety

    Cracking the safety code: Why human factors matter

    Trending Tags

    • Anchor Your Health
    • Book Review
    • Career Paths
    • Human Performance
    • Industry Voices
    • Interviews
    • Maripedia
    • Maritime History
    • Regulatory Update
    • Resilience
    • Seafarers Stories
    • SeaSense
    • Training & Development
    • Wellness Corner
    • Wellness Tips
  • Events
  • Plus
No Result
View All Result
SAFETY4SEA

Ten tips to improve situational awareness onboard

by The Editorial Team
February 5, 2020
in Safety
narrow channels

Credit: Shutterstock / Mohamad Ridzuan Bin Raml

FacebookTwitterEmailLinkedin

The Nautical Institute issued its newest edition of The Navigator focusing on the importance of Situational Awareness as a key component of safe navigation. Maintaining good situational awareness can be challenging and there are many things on a bridge that can cause distraction or overload.

In addition, human vision is not perfect and needs to be complemented with other tools such as radar, AIS, and even listening to VHF radio traffic, notes David Patraiko FNI, Director of Projects, The Nautical Institute.

At the same time, it is very possible for navigators to become overloaded with target information, especially if there are also other tasks going on on the bridge.

It is important to identify the risk of overload in yourself and others and to have a plan B such as delegating, prioritising or calling the Master for assistance.

In this regard, the NI provides ten tips for improving and enhancing situational awareness onboard:

RelatedNews

LR: New requirements for lifting appliances and anchor winches

NMA: Emergency stop & regular function testing of safety devices

  1. Most important: Situational awareness is absolutely critical to navigators. You need to be aware of your environment at all times, understand it and then act correctly.
  2. All available means: Use all available means, all your senses (eyes, ears, touch, nose etc…) and all available tools (Radar, AIS, GNSS, radio, etc…)
  3. Always question: Always seek to test your understanding of the environment by cross checking. Try never to trust just one sense or tool.
  4. Share with others: Share your observations and interpretations with others in your team, never assume that they have seen something as well, or that your interpretation is the best. Ten top tips for improving and enhancing your situational awareness on board
  5. Overburdening: It is easy to become distracted and lose situational awareness on the bridge of a ship. Know how to spot it in yourself and others and have a plan to deal with it.
  6. Under burdening: It is possible to lose situational awareness when things become quiet. Find ways to keep yourself focused and alert. Unforeseen events at sea can be devastating!
  7. Fake news: Not all information is correct. Chart data can be inaccurate, AIS data can be wrong and, in this cyber age, misinformation can be given.
  8. Be aware on board: Situational awareness is just as important off the bridge. A good mariner is always alert to unexpected smells, vibrations, noises, and ship movements. Learn to trust your sixth sense and don’t ignore the sense that something just isn’t right.
  9. Learn from others: Poor situational awareness is often cited in accident investigation reports. Learn from these reports, whether they are from The Nautical Institute in MARS, other industry schemes such as Maritime CHIRP, or national reports such as the UK MAIB, US NTSB or Australia’s ATSB.
  10. Mentoring: Situational awareness can be continually improved and taught to others. Work with your team to improve your skills. Experience is key to making sense of your environment and making good decisions.

Good situational awareness should be a shared activity. When working with a team, share your observations. Don’t assume that everyone has the same mental picture as you, or even that your own mental picture is correct. In many instances good situational awareness is just common sense, but it is a sense that can be refined with practice and benefits from experience and a good attitude,

..advised Mr. Patraiko.

 

Explore more herebelow:

Ten tips to improve situational awareness onboard
The Navigator Issue 23
Ten tips to improve situational awareness onboardTen tips to improve situational awareness onboard
Ten tips to improve situational awareness onboardTen tips to improve situational awareness onboard
Tags: AISbest practicessafe navigationsafety measuresThe Nautical Institute
Previous Post

Port of Lüderitz on track to handle double amount of manganese exports

Next Post

UNCTAD informs about digitalizing the port call process

Related News

accidents regulations
Videos

Watch: Key equipment that can aid in MOB recovery

July 2, 2025
SAR
Safety

Parties collaborate on new maritime SAR scheme

July 1, 2025
speaking up culture
Maritime Knowledge

Addressing crew shortage: Zero tolerance and clear consequences for unacceptable behaviour

June 30, 2025
IMPA: 85% of non-compliance not reported to port State authorities
Safety

IMPA: 85% of non-compliance not reported to port State authorities

June 30, 2025
lessons learned
Accidents

Lessons learned: ‘Sleeping hygiene’ is critical to safety

June 30, 2025
lessons learned
Accidents

Lessons learned: Never rely on a single navigation appliance

June 27, 2025

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Explore more

No Result
View All Result
MARITIME EVENTS

Explore

  • Safety
  • SEAFiT
  • Green
  • Smart
  • Risk
  • Others
  • SAFETY4SEA Events
  • SAFETY4SEA Plus Subscription

Useful Links

  • About
  • Disclaimer
  • Editorial Policies
  • Advertising
  • Content Marketing
  • Contact

© 2025 SAFETY4SEA

No Result
View All Result
  • Safety
    • Accidents
    • Alerts
    • Loss Prevention
    • Maritime Health
    • Regulation
    • Safety
    • Seafarers
    • Security
  • SEAFiT
    • Intellectual
    • Mental
    • Physical
    • Social
    • Spiritual
  • Green
    • Arctic
    • Ballast
    • Emissions
    • Fuels
    • Green Shipping
    • Pollution
    • Ship Recycling
    • Technology
  • Smart
    • Connectivity
    • Cyber Security
    • E-navigation
    • Energy Efficiency
    • Maritime Software
    • Smart
  • Risk
    • CIC
    • Detentions
    • Fines
    • PSC Case Studies
    • PSC Focus
    • Vetting
  • Others
    • Diversity in shipping
    • Maritime Knowledge
    • Offshore
    • Ports
    • Shipping
    • Sustainability
    • Videos
  • Columns
    • Anchor Your Health
    • Book Review
    • Career Paths
    • Human Performance
    • Industry Voices
    • Interviews
    • Maripedia
    • Maritime History
    • Opinions
    • Regulatory Update
    • Resilience
    • Seafarers Stories
    • SeaSense
    • Tip of the day
    • Training & Development
    • Wellness Corner
    • Wellness Tips
  • SAFETY4SEA Events
  • SAFETY4SEA Plus Subscription

© 2025 SAFETY4SEA

Manage your privacy
We use technologies like cookies to store and/or access device information. We do this to improve browsing experience and to show (non-) personalized ads. Consenting to these technologies will allow us to process data such as browsing behavior or unique IDs on this site. Not consenting or withdrawing consent, may adversely affect certain features and functions.
Functional Always active
The technical storage or access is strictly necessary for the legitimate purpose of enabling the use of a specific service explicitly requested by the subscriber or user, or for the sole purpose of carrying out the transmission of a communication over an electronic communications network.
Preferences
The technical storage or access is necessary for the legitimate purpose of storing preferences that are not requested by the subscriber or user.
Statistics
The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for statistical purposes. The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for anonymous statistical purposes. Without a subpoena, voluntary compliance on the part of your Internet Service Provider, or additional records from a third party, information stored or retrieved for this purpose alone cannot usually be used to identify you.
Marketing
The technical storage or access is required to create user profiles to send advertising, or to track the user on a website or across several websites for similar marketing purposes.
Manage options Manage services Manage {vendor_count} vendors Read more about these purposes
Manage options
{title} {title} {title}
No Result
View All Result
  • Safety
    • Accidents
    • Alerts
    • Loss Prevention
    • Maritime Health
    • Regulation
    • Safety
    • Seafarers
    • Security
  • SEAFiT
    • Intellectual
    • Mental
    • Physical
    • Social
    • Spiritual
  • Green
    • Arctic
    • Ballast
    • Emissions
    • Fuels
    • Green Shipping
    • Pollution
    • Ship Recycling
    • Technology
  • Smart
    • Connectivity
    • Cyber Security
    • E-navigation
    • Energy Efficiency
    • Maritime Software
    • Smart
  • Risk
    • CIC
    • Detentions
    • Fines
    • PSC Case Studies
    • PSC Focus
    • Vetting
  • Others
    • Diversity in shipping
    • Maritime Knowledge
    • Offshore
    • Ports
    • Shipping
    • Sustainability
    • Videos
  • Columns
    • Anchor Your Health
    • Book Review
    • Career Paths
    • Human Performance
    • Industry Voices
    • Interviews
    • Maripedia
    • Maritime History
    • Opinions
    • Regulatory Update
    • Resilience
    • Seafarers Stories
    • SeaSense
    • Tip of the day
    • Training & Development
    • Wellness Corner
    • Wellness Tips
  • SAFETY4SEA Events
  • SAFETY4SEA Plus Subscription

© 2025 SAFETY4SEA