2025 SAFETY4SEA Athens Forum: Seamanship in an era of rapid change and digitalization

The 2025 SAFETY4SEA Athens Forum took place on 1st of October 2025, at the Lighthouse of Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center (SNFCC), Athens, with a strong focus on maritime safety and the latest developments around it.

he event was organized by SAFETY4SEA having MACGREGOR, and SQEMARINE as lead sponsors. Other sponsors were: the American Club, Blue Planet Shipping Ltd, Britannia P&I Club, Capital Containers Ship Management Corp, Capital Gas Ship Management Corp., Capital Shipmanagement, ClassNK, COLUMBIA Group, Danica Crewing Specialists, Diaplous Group, Döhle Seafront Crewing, Dorian LPG, Eastern Mediterranean Maritime Limited (EASTMED), Green Jakobsen, I.M.A. Assessment & Training Center Inc, IMEQ Center, Latsco Marine Management Inc., Marshall Island Ship Registry – INTERNATIONAL REGISTRIES, INC., OneCare Group, RISK4SEA, SEAFiT, SQLearn, The Swedish Club, Sun Enterprises Ltd, UK P&I Club, and V. Group. 

Additionally, Efoplistis Shipping Magazine, Elnavi, Maritimes.gr, Naftika Chronika, NAFS Group, pireaus365.gr, Shipping International Monthly Review, WordlOils and Xinde Marine News acted as the events media sponsors.

Apo Belokas, Managing Editor, SAFETY4SEA, opened the event by welcoming the delegates and speakers and thanking all the sponsors and supporters. He then gave a presentation on the importance of human factors and human capital in ensuring the safety and smooth operation of vessels. According to Apo Belokas, the industry focuses more on the cost rather than value, underestimating the return of investing in human capital.

Cost is what you pay, value is what you get

… Apo Belokas pointed out, while encouraging the industry to invest more in human capital.

He also gave an overview of challenges that currently plague the industry and encouraged stakeholders to unite in addressing them and to support both seafarers and shore staff with new initiatives, projects, and tools. “The traditional way of thinking is holding the industry back,” he said, urging stakeholders to adapt to change.

Session #1 Building a safety-first culture

Anthony Gardner, Loss Prevention Manager, Britannia P&I Club, gave a presentation addressing the hazards of enclosed space entry and the serious risk it poses to crew safety. He underscored the need for comprehensive training, effective communication, and robust procedures to safeguard seafarers.

Each space should have plan that should be shared with the people who will go into that space

… Gardner highlighted.

Emphasizing the value of proper equipment and adherence to safety protocols, he also pointed out that proactive practices and strong loss prevention strategies are vital to reducing risks and preserving lives at sea.

Ioannis Vrontorinakis, Manager of NK Piraeus and Tech Expertise Center, ClassNK, focused on the key lessons learned from accidents in the industry and how the approach to failure has evolved over time.

 Failure is not the end; it is a step towards improvement
… said Vrontorinakis and pointed out that the traditional “blame game” has shifted toward viewing failure as an opportunity for learning and improvement. Furthermore, he emphasized that while changes in hardware, such as structures and legislation, have improved safety to some extent, true progress comes from addressing the “software” a.k.a. the human factor and management systems.

Capt. Panagiotis Nikiteas, HSQE Manager / DPA / CSO, Maran Dry Management Inc., underscored the importance of “groupthink theory” and bias-based risk. According to Capt. Nikiteas, groupthink theory, which first came up by Irving Janis in 1972, refers to a phenomenon where group harmony and unity are sought to the exclusion of conflicting points.

 As part of achieving group harmony, people make rush or irrational decisions
… explained Capt. Nikiteas. This phenomenon leads to a number of communication and transparency-related challenges onboard. Thus, to avoid this, Nikiteas urged the industry to empower its people to express their concerns and speak up on the errors and deviations they see.

Session #2 Human performance in a changing world

Dr. Maria Progoulaki, Regional Representative – Senior Consultant, Green-Jakobsen, gave a presentation on the future of human performance in the maritime sector, highlighting the critical role of technology as a supportive partner rather than a replacement for people. While acknowledging that machines are increasingly capable of decision-making, she emphasized that human judgment remains essential.

 Human performance is more than just having the skill

 … Progoulaki noted, adding that it is more about behavior and how we decide to act toward challenges. Therefore, to meet the challenges of evolving technological and operational environments, she stressed the importance of understanding human performance.

Malevi Manenti, Associate General Manager, OneLearn Global, explored the critical role of human factors in maritime safety, emphasizing that regulations and frameworks alone are not enough to prevent incidents.

 Human error is the result, what we see, human factors are the root cause

 … said Manenti, explaining that seafarers face constant challenges relating to human factors, such as fatigue and stress, that lead to errors. Her presentation advocated that training can bridge this gap, shifting from box-ticking exercises to developing real competence through continuous learning, immersive technologies, and competence-based approaches.

Alexandra S. Kaloulis, Managing Director, IMEQ Center, gave a presentation on shifting the maritime industry’s approach from reacting to “human error” toward adopting predictive strategies that enhance human performance, which she identifies as the next critical benchmark for safety in the industry.

The biggest misconception is that human behavior is random

… commented Kaloulis, noting that psychology finds that human behavior follows patterns. Therefore, drawing on psychology and fleet data, she examined risk factors that influence safety and performance, and presented practical interventions and KPIs that can help organizations measure and improve human performance.

Session #3 Crew management & welfare as safety-critical factors

Henrik Jensen, CEO, Danica Crewing Specialists, delivered a presentation on crew recruitment and retention, drawing attention to how both shipping companies and the wider maritime sector are factors in the ongoing shortage of seafarers.

 It is time to talk about not only retention but how we manage fluctuation and return of the crew

 … Jensen remarked.

Additionally, he outlined the difficulties in attracting and keeping qualified personnel, while sharing useful perspectives on how strategies can be improved to build and sustain a skilled workforce for the industry.

Capt. Nikos Taktikos, Technical Consultant, American Club, focused on the importance of fostering a mentally healthy workplace for seafarers, clarifying how improved mental wellness directly enhances both safety and service.

Mental health matters even more than safety, because without it safety cannot be achieved

… Taktikos explained and addressed the unique challenges seafarers face and explained how these factors can impact performance and well-being. The presentation also explored practical methods for identifying signs of mental health issues, strategies to reduce stressors in the maritime environment, and the value of open dialogue.

Dr. Michela Terrei, Psychologist I.M.A. Assessment & Training Center, highlighted the critical importance of mental health assessment in the maritime industry, framing it as both a performance and safety priority. She underscored alarming statistics relating to stressors seafarers face daily. These stressors impair cognitive function, emotional regulation, and teamwork, directly affecting operational excellence.

If we are mentally well, we are capable to realize all our potential

… therefore, Michela drew attention to the need to move beyond inadequate screening practices toward comprehensive psychological assessments including resilience, emotional intelligence, and neurophysiological monitoring.

Session #4: The future of seamanship in the digital age

Nikos Georgopoulos, Chief Business Development Officer, Diaplous Group, gave a presentation on how digitalization and technology have reshaped risk assessment in maritime operations. He explained that vessels are faced with a number of security challenges which can change rapidly. Therefore, according to Georgopoulos, continuous monitoring and assessment becomes essential in detecting and avoiding risks.

There is a necessity for continuous risk assessment as things change very rapidly

… he stressed, adding that new technologies such as artificial intelligence can streamline the process and aid the crew to make proactive decisions.

David Nichol, Senior Advisor, The Swedish Club, examined the concept of seamanship in the context of the digital age, questioning whether it has become an outdated notion or if its principles remain vital. He explored what seamanship truly means, how it is currently perceived and applied, and why its core values continue to be essential for the safe and effective operation of ships in the future.

Seamanship was always and continues to be essential for the safe operation of ships

… Nichol highlighted.

His talk also listed the potential risks of neglecting these timeless principles, emphasizing that while technology advances, the foundations of good seamanship must not be overlooked.

Capt. Konstantinos G. Karavasilis, Regional Director-Loss Prevention, UK P&I Club, gave a presentation on evolving vessel monitoring without losing seamanship. According to Karavasilis, monitoring is an essential practice for various aspects of the vessel’s operation. However, he warned that while new technologies aid in monitoring, they also have serious shortcomings that need to be taken into consideration.

Human judgement is essential in case of anomalies or new data

… Karavasilis explained. Finally, he underlined the importance of training seafarers in new technologies but not leaving more traditional or soft skills behind, as they can be proven equally important under circumstances.

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