Navigating Safety in the Maritime Sector: Developing Leadership Skills through Simulated Environments

Abstract: The maritime industry is one of the most complex and high-risk sectors globally, where effective leadership is critical to ensuring safety, preventing accidents, and fostering a culture of continuous improvement. Given the dynamic and often hazardous nature of maritime operations, developing strong leadership skills is essential for both current and future maritime professionals. This paper explores the role of simulated environments in enhancing safety leadership within the maritime sector, with a focus on measuring human performance and the development of leadership skills. Simulators offer a unique advantage by providing realistic, risk-free experiences that help improve human performance and assess the characteristics of effective leadership.Today safety within a maritime organization is often evaluated through the safety climate and the Non-Technical Skills (NTS) of seafarers in the framework of proactive safety. NTS encompass the cognitive, social, and personal abilities that complement technical skills, and are visibly observable in safe behaviors aboard ships. Leadership is a key component of social NTS, both on real vessels and in simulated environments. The safety climate is assessed using questionnaires and interviews specifically designed for this purpose. To capture the NTS of seafarers working on Greek-owned vessels, an attitude questionnaire was distributed to a sample of 905 Greek seafarers at KESEN and 316 Filipino seafarers in Manila, as part of their training at Marine Educational Training (MET) centers. A total of 1,221 valid questionnaires were analyzed using factor analysis and related statistical tests to identify, assess, and classify NTS with a focus on leadership, and their impact on maritime safety.While traditional leadership training often relies on theoretical knowledge and classroom-based instruction, ship-based simulators bridge the gap between theory and practice by providing immersive, real-world scenarios. These simulations allow trainees to develop situational awareness, decision-making skills, and crisis management capabilities, all while reinforcing the importance of leadership in enhancing safety outcomes under pressure. This paper focuses on deck and engineering officers of Greek-owned vessels who participated in fire and evacuation simulations—such as firefighting, emergency response drills, search & rescue, and coordinated team tasks. These simulated exercises provide valuable insights into the challenges maritime leaders face and help them prepare for the unpredictable nature of real-world operations.This study examines the advantages of simulation-based training in developing key leadership competencies, including situational awareness, decision-making under stress, risk assessment, and team coordination. It also explores the impact of human limitations—such as fatigue and stress—on leadership effectiveness and human performance in extreme situations. Furthermore, the paper highlights the essential components of successful simulation-based leadership training programs, such as the use of firefighting and evacuation simulators, the integration of realistic scenarios, and the importance of feedback mechanisms that allow trainees to reflect on their actions and improve their skills.In conclusion, this paper argues that simulated environments are an invaluable tool for developing the leadership skills required to navigate the complexities of maritime safety. By integrating simulation-based training into leadership development programs, maritime organizations can cultivate a new generation of leaders who are better prepared to address the challenges of a high-risk industry and improve safety standards across the sector.

Keywords: human factors, leadership, simulation

DOI: 10.54941/ahfe1006544

Cite this paper:

​