Posted: March 3rd, 2023
Adopting a Goal-Based Approach to Enhance Safety Management Systems of Cruise Vessels
Adopting a Goal-Based Approach to Enhance Safety Management Systems of Cruise Vessels
Cruise vessels are complex systems that operate in dynamic and uncertain environments. They face various risks and challenges, such as human error, equipment failure, weather conditions, piracy, terrorism, and environmental impacts. To ensure the safety of passengers, crew, and the environment, cruise vessels need to implement effective safety management systems (SMS) that can identify, assess, and mitigate these risks and challenges.
However, traditional SMS are often based on prescriptive rules and regulations that may not be sufficient or adaptable to the changing needs and expectations of the cruise industry. Prescriptive rules and regulations specify the minimum requirements and standards that cruise vessels must comply with, but they do not provide guidance on how to achieve them or how to improve them. Moreover, prescriptive rules and regulations may not capture the best practices and innovations that emerge from the experience and expertise of cruise operators and stakeholders.
Therefore, this paper proposes a goal-based approach to enhance the SMS of cruise vessels. A goal-based approach is a proactive and flexible method that focuses on the desired outcomes and objectives of safety rather than the means and procedures to achieve them. A goal-based approach allows cruise operators to define their own safety goals and performance indicators, based on their specific context, capabilities, and resources. It also encourages continuous improvement and learning by monitoring and evaluating the effectiveness and efficiency of the SMS.
The paper is organized as follows. First, it reviews the current state of SMS in the cruise industry and identifies the main challenges and limitations of prescriptive rules and regulations. Second, it introduces the concept and principles of a goal-based approach and explains how it can address the challenges and limitations of prescriptive rules and regulations. Third, it presents a framework for implementing a goal-based approach to enhance the SMS of cruise vessels. The framework consists of four steps: (1) setting safety goals and performance indicators; (2) developing safety plans and strategies; (3) executing safety actions and activities; and (4) reviewing safety performance and feedback. Fourth, it discusses the benefits and challenges of adopting a goal-based approach for cruise operators and stakeholders. Finally, it concludes with some recommendations and suggestions for future research.