Abstract:

Maritime accidents are one of the main factors that disrupt maritime transportation. Among these accidents, collision situations, due to their frequency and consequences, possess a great threat to the safety of navigation. The majority of these accidents are directly related to the operations within the ship and human errors. In this study, we explore the importance and the training needs for situational awareness and decision making for preventing collisions at sea through a literature review. Studies suggest that seafarers on board who are responsible for keeping navigational watch can both be the causer and preventer for collisions. Recommendations of the studies in the field point to the need for specialized training to improve situational awareness and decision making. Training seafarers’ expectations and goals for collision situations are proposed to achieve this improvement. Especially the usage of the training scenarios including unexpected situations to increase familiarity and readiness levels are referred frequently. 

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