82% of Maritime Professionals Call for Better Alignment Between Training and Shipboard Operations

Summary

A study commissioned by OneOcean and conducted by maritime innovation consultancy Thetius has found that 82% of surveyed maritime professionals believe current training does not adequately prepare seafarers for modern vessel operations. The research identifies gaps in practical competence, digital system management and decision-making under pressure, raising concerns about the effectiveness of compliance-focused training as shipping becomes increasingly digitalised.

Article

Seafarer training is struggling to keep pace with the growing complexity of digitally enabled vessel operations, with 82% of maritime professionals surveyed reporting that existing training models do not adequately prepare crews for operational realities, according to research commissioned by OneOcean and conducted by Thetius.

The findings are presented in two reports, Competent or Compliant? and Decision-optimised or overloaded?, which examine the relationship between seafarer competence, training practices and the increasing use of digital technologies in shipping.

The research draws on surveys and interviews with maritime professionals across shipboard and shore-based roles, including masters, officers, engineers, superintendents, training personnel, crewing staff and shore-based operators.

Practical competency gaps persist despite formal qualifications

The report Competent or Compliant? found that 52% of respondents said qualified crew members struggled to perform in real operational conditions often or very often. Meanwhile, 56% identified tick-box compliance as a contributing factor to the gap between formal qualifications and practical competence.

Only 18% of respondents believed current training adequately prepared seafarers for the demands of modern vessel operations.

The research identified several situations in which competency gaps become particularly apparent. Abnormal or unexpected situations were cited by 67% of respondents, followed by high-pressure operations at 56%. A further 36% identified challenges when working across different vessels, while 31% pointed to difficulties involving complex digital systems, Electronic Chart Display and Information Systems (ECDIS) and reporting tools.

The findings suggest that formal certification alone may not provide a sufficient measure of a seafarer’s ability to respond to operational challenges. The reports call attention to the need for training approaches that reflect the conditions crews encounter at sea.

Digitalisation introduces new operational pressures

The second report, Decision-optimised or overloaded?, examines how digitalisation is changing the nature of work onboard vessels.

Modern ships increasingly operate as interconnected digital environments designed to improve reporting, transparency and operational efficiency. However, the research indicates that these systems can also create additional workloads when technologies do not communicate effectively with one another.

Seafarers may have to reconcile conflicting information manually across multiple displays and systems, effectively acting as the link between platforms that lack integration. The report also identifies alert fatigue and information overload as emerging operational risks.

The impact can become particularly pronounced when navigation systems are disrupted. Following Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) interference, 75% of surveyed mariners reported a moderate to significant increase in workload, according to the report.

The findings indicate that the introduction of additional data and digital tools does not automatically improve decision-making. When multiple systems generate alerts simultaneously, crews may face greater cognitive demands, particularly during time-sensitive or high-pressure situations.

The report also raises concerns that current training programmes do not sufficiently prepare seafarers to manage these increasingly complex operational environments.

OneOcean calls for changes to competence development

Alex Mangan, Chief Marketing and Communications Officer at OneOcean, said: “Change in shipping will only accelerate as vessels adopt new digital systems to manage tightening international regulation and to sail more efficiently and productively.

“This has created a growing gap between the training seafarers receive and the challenges they face at sea. The problem is twofold, coming from rapid technological changes at sea, and from the ways in which training is delivered to crews. Closing this reality gap requires the industry to shift its approaches to competence, to reflect real-world operations.”

Nick Chubb, Founder of Thetius, said: “The findings reveal a clear reality gap between the demands of modern shipping and the way competence is developed. As vessels become more digitally complex, the industry must move beyond compliance-based training and equip seafarers with the skills they need to operate safely and effectively.”

OneOcean’s Ocean Learning Platform (OLP) provides operators with fleet-wide visibility into crew readiness by consolidating certification records and assessment information. The platform is intended to help identify training gaps and assess competence levels across their workforces.

The company also highlighted its continued investment in Human Capital Management and digital tools supporting workforce planning, development and engagement.

Research findings discussed at industry events

The two reports were launched through a two-part webinar series hosted by Thetius, featuring discussions with industry panellists. The reports and webinar recordings are available through OneOcean’s research and insights page.

OneOcean also addressed related workforce challenges at Seatrade Maritime Crew Connect Global. Capt. Sanjeev Mathur, SVP at OneOcean, moderated a peer exchange titled The Deployment Gap: What the Officer Shortage Actually Costs to Manage.

John Butler, SVP, Technical Ship Management at OneOcean, discussed The Fatigue Timebomb & Shore Leave Erosion: A Witness Stand, while Anna Ruszczynska, Regional Director – APAC at OneOcean, participated in a debate titled The 800,000 — Who Owns the Race to Train the Guinea Pig Generation?

The research highlights the need for maritime training to evolve alongside digital technologies, with practical competence, effective decision-making and the management of complex onboard systems becoming increasingly important to vessel operations.

FAQs

What percentage of maritime professionals say current seafarer training is inadequate?

According to research commissioned by OneOcean and conducted by Thetius, 82% of surveyed maritime professionals believe current training does not adequately prepare crews for modern vessel operations.

What are the main competency gaps identified in the research?

The study identified difficulties in abnormal or unexpected situations, high-pressure operations, transitioning between vessels and using complex digital systems. It also found that 52% of respondents said qualified crew members struggled in real operational conditions often or very often.

How is digitalisation affecting seafarers’ workloads?

Digital systems can increase workload when platforms do not communicate effectively, requiring crew members to reconcile conflicting information manually. The research also identifies alert fatigue and information overload as operational risks. Following GNSS interference, 75% of surveyed mariners reported a moderate to significant increase in workload.

What is the role of compliance-based training in the competency gap?

In the Competent or Compliant? report, 56% of respondents identified tick-box compliance as a contributing factor to the gap between formal qualifications and practical operational competence.

Which organisations conducted the research?

The reports were commissioned by OneOcean and conducted by Thetius, a maritime innovation consultancy. The publications are titled Competent or Compliant? and Decision-optimised or overloaded?.