How MariApps is committed to safety in the Maritime Industry
Safety in maritime operations is of paramount importance, and Mariapps smartPAL plays a crucial role in ensuring the safe operation of vessels. The safety and quality modules are designed to ensure compliance with various national and international regulations, such as the International Maritime Organization’s (IMO) International Safety Management (ISM) Code and the International Ship and Port Facility Security (ISPS) Code including the monitoring of safety-related activities and the reporting of incidents. For example, smartPAL Risk Assessment menu has comprehensive Risk Assessment Library that helps to identify potential risks and hazards and provide guidance on how to mitigate them. Vessel users are to make informed decisions about safety procedures and protocols.
Here are some of the functions in our safety modules:
- Audit and Inspection Planner
- Audit and Inspections
- Inspection Reporting Tool (Mobile App)
- Incidents / Near Miss Reporting
- Risk Assessments
- Work Permits
- Management of Change
- Shipboard Meetings with Planner
- Drill with Planner
smartPAL Maintenance ensures that all safety-related equipment and systems are in good working order. This can include everything from life rafts and fire extinguishers to navigation systems and communication equipment.
Overall, smartPAL can help shore and vessel users make informed decisions and take proactive measures to ensure the safety of all onboard.
Easy access to past audits and inspection reports through smartPAL’s Inspection Reporting Tool (IRT) highlight problematic areas on a ship that allow for inspection with a full list of open and closed deficiencies with corrective, preventative actions and root cause analysis that contribute to ensuring safety is prioritized.
In this article, we reached out to experienced maritime professionals with a combined experience in the field of over 30 years; Captain Rajesh Kumar Yadav and Captain Aditya Sud of Meiji Shipping Group who shared their thoughts on the impact of technology in ensuring maritime safety and health of their respective crew.
“We are looking forward to trying the IRT feature from MariApps as we understand it can greatly impact how inspections are carried out onboard vessels, reducing time but also can enhance safety through the data and reports it can save” Captain Rajesh added.
Communication and Collaboration
Innovative technological advancements in software have allowed for effective communication and collaboration among stakeholders such as vessel crew, fleet managers, and shore-based personnel with fleet-wide reporting.
Effective communication is one of the most critical aspects in ensuring safety in the maritime industry, “When I started my career, communication and assistance with shore personnel was limited to once every two days, with the advent of new technologies means of communication have significantly improved with 24/7 office assistance” remarked Captain Rajesh.
smartPAL robust and advanced technology includes a communication tool within the integrated system to ensure that data can be shared and communicated effectively to ensure that everyone who needs to access it, can do so quickly and easily so that everyone can perform their jobs effectively and safely.
Health and Work-Rest Hours
“It is crucial for a master to understand his crew fatigue levels. By ensuring work-rest hours are adhered to, we can reduce the risk of having and overworked crew. Resting is vital for seafarers as it is the time where they can enjoy their privacy, reduce their stress levels, and even play games onboard the vessel.” said Captain Rajesh.
MariApps’ commitment to encourage safety and health within the maritime industry is reflected in Sea Roster, which is a module designed to address compliance with international regulations set by IMO which provides alerts and notifications to ensure seafarers are not overworked and their rest hours are adhered to. Long periods of isolation, fatigue, and high-stress environments can significantly impact the mental health of seafarers, which in turn can affect their job performance, safety, and overall quality of life.
Incident reporting and analysis
“smartPAL’s QHSE module allows us to address leading indicators effectively, with real-time information on near-miss reports which enables us to analyze trends and identify the focus area of incidents” remarked Captain Aditya of MMS.
smartPAL provides a structured approach to incident reporting. It is intuitive which allows for timely reporting, and the process is straightforward and streamlined which allows follow up, investigation, and analysis of safety incidents. It covers different types of incidents, such as spills, crew injuries, equipment failures, and security breaches allowing the users to identify its impact potential.
Maritime Safety training and documentation
“Training was limited to what was taught in training institutes, with little to no changes to training materials. With current technological advancement, training has evolved into interactive with more involvement to ensure a more comprehensive approach to training,” said Captain Aditya.
Maritime safety training and documentation processes are equally vital in ensuring the safety of crew which in turn ensures that all crew members receive appropriate and comprehensive safety training, certifications and qualifications was discussed and mentioned as one of the top priorities in the industry.
smartPAL’s Crewing module enables users to identify the training and competency needs of their crew onboard. The dashboard provides access to scheduled trainings, but also has the functionality of adding training needs details after an inspection.
“Technology ensures the crew is adequately trained to handle emergency situations, operate vessels safely, and follow standard operating procedures (SOPs) thus reducing the risk of human error and safety incidents.” Captain Aditya added.
Safety first, Safety Always
MariApps’ dedication to safety and health is of the utmost importance with continuous upgrades to smartPAL to facilitate preventative safety measures and ensure the safety and health of crew members, cargo, and the environment. The utilization of innovative software solutions encourages better protection of assets and fosters a culture of safety that benefits all stakeholders within the maritime industry. On the topic of safety, Captain Rajesh Kumar and Captain Aditya Sud of MMS Group shared that after only using some of MariApps’ modules they could easily understand how much of an impact technology had on their daily routines to ensure their crew is sailing safely.
“Don’t rush safety. It’s better to lose one minute in life than to lose life in a minute. Safety isn’t expensive; it’s priceless. Safety is as simple as ABC: Always Be Careful.” Captain Aditya Sud
“Safety is an art, play your part. Safety First, Safety Always. Technology is a boon to Safety and is to be utilized to the maximum. Everything you do shall start with Safety and Shall always be.” Captain Rajesh Kumar
