The Human Side of Shipping – Developing Safety Culture and Telematic Medical Applications
Turning to the Human Side of Shipping, Mrs Elisabeth Calbari, Neuropsychologist, Executive Leadership Consultant, and Founder of Self Balance, engaged in a thought-provoking discussion with Mr Costas Th. Kontes, Chief Commercial Officer at Navilands Management Holdings S.A., and Mrs Maria A. Korkontzelou, Crew Manager at Seanergy Maritime Holdings Corp., on “The Development of Safety Culture: A Sonata for Resilience.”
Mrs Calbari posed a fundamental question to the participants: How does culture influence the lives of those at sea? Is it truly a shared value?
Mrs Korkontzelou acknowledged that safety culture is a critical yet complex issue. While it is challenging to establish, companies can adopt various strategies to enhance crew engagement on board. Mr Kontes emphasized that safety culture is fundamentally about the human element. Non-compliance introduces significant risks, and it is imperative that all stakeholders recognize this reality.
A crucial first step is conducting an assessment to understand the crew’s mindset, ensuring that both seafarers and shore-based teams speak the same language and share a common understanding. Training should not merely fulfill a checklist or enforce a protocol—it must go deeper, fostering a safety-first mindset, encouraging engagement, and promoting teamwork in its implementation.
Leadership and communication, Mr Kontes pointed out, are often the “Achilles’ heel” of this effort, as open dialogue is frequently lacking. However, technology can play a vital role. Advancements in IT and AI are already contributing to safety culture by monitoring crew compliance with safety equipment usage and preventing accidents, such as collisions.
Mr Kontes underscored the necessity of zero tolerance when it comes to safety. Mrs Korkontzelou added that empowering the crew to provide feedback is crucial in identifying inconsistencies, addressing concerns, and ultimately preventing injuries and fatalities.
The discussion was followed by a presentation by Dr Philip Sotiriades, Founder & CEO at Telematic Medical Applications, on “A symphony for Wellness: Telematic Applications in Shipping”. Given the significance of crew well-being, enhancing maritime healthcare and ensuring that all seafarers have access to medical support, leads to a safe and successful voyage. According to a survey, 20% of deviations concerned cases that could have been prevented and solved on board. Currently telematics help bridge this distance. Dr Sotiriadis presented NoAH, which has integrated AI features, giving vital health measurements and can be combined with a series of advanced kits and medical equipment (thereby providing from basic medical services up to services offered by primary healthcare clinics). Wearables, real-time health monitoring and remote healthcare capabilities help in closing the gap between onboard medical needs and onshore expertise.
Source: Slide2Open Shipping Finance 2025 Conference
