Communication skills are vital to safe ship operations
Communication is our most important human tool for understanding, co- operation and action. It also can make us confused and frustrated. To communicate is to interpret a message for its meaning.
Recent accidents have shown that communication constraints have become a concern for ships’ crew and owners. The Oil Companies International Marine Forum (OCIMF) publication Tanker Management and Self Assessment appeals for tighter control of crews’ communication capability and cultural awareness.
Good communication becomes parti- cularly important when responsibilities are delegated from the owner/manager to the master and his crew. Teamwork requires communication skills, mutual understanding and a level playing field in terms of cultural equality. Teamwork does not mean that the Captain is thinking out loud!
With a mixed crew, communication skills become more important; too often messages sent are not the same as messages received. Strangely, humans are pleased with a brief understanding of a communication, but communication brevity should not be accepted onboard. Although one would expect that a natural language would enhance understanding, it does not necessarily happen at sea. ‘Procedural language’ may be used onboard for operations and in ship/shore communication, but not always with success because of inadequate training, bad communication discipline, poor teamwork and lack of cultural awareness.
For many of us, culture-communication becomes a challenge because there are many unknown variables. In some cultures people speak what they mean; others do just the opposite. If practising the latter, there are fewer possibilities to interpret a message, look for meaning, understand pauses, seek relationships and look for empathy. People with erroneous stereotyping cause misunderstandings.
The ISM Code focuses on safety- communication, which is randomly targeted for inspection by Flag State Surveyors, Port State Inspectors and Vetting Inspectors. The limited language knowledge required by Conventions is not adequate to give an individual a social life onboard. Hence, he/she becomes alienated and a safety risk, no matter how short the length of
time spent onboard. In ship safety debates, the crew’s limited language knowledge is not discussed.
To listen is also to communicate. In the Western world listening is not a school subject. Hence, very few people know how to actively listen.
Communication-symbols manifest com- munication. Symbols differ in meaning dependent on time, culture, individual and place. Interaction is characterized by a continuous update of the meaning of symbols. Stereotyping creates a barrier to find authentic meaning of spoken sentences. When we communicate we project our own image (needs, expect- ations, ideals, perceptions etc.) mainly through body language, tone of voice and the selection of words.
Maritime education and training insti- tutions need to deepen the education in the English language and in cultural awareness. Misunderstandings and stereotyping do affect safety at sea.
Getting the best from multi-cultural manning can be downloaded below:
HE00465 - Getting the best from multi-cultural manning