World Maritime Day 2026: Marine Safety Is Proven on Deck

The procedure meets the weather, workload and crew

A vessel transfer can begin with an approved procedure and still encounter a changing sea state, an unclear radio call or an unfamiliar receiving arrangement. The quality of the decision at that moment determines whether the written control becomes effective protection.

World Maritime Day falls on 24 September in 2026. IMO’s theme for 2026 and 2027 is “From Policy to Practice: Powering Maritime Excellence.” It highlights implementation through legislation, enforcement, training and day-to-day operations.

Turn the theme into a field question

IMO links maritime excellence with safe, secure, efficient and environmentally sustainable shipping. For a workplace team, a useful question is: What evidence shows that our critical controls work during the operation?

This article offers practical review prompts, not a substitute for vessel-specific procedures, professional marine advice or applicable regulatory requirements. Requirements differ by vessel, flag, operation and location; responsible specialists must establish what applies.

Personnel transfer: make the stop criteria shared

Before a transfer, the sending and receiving teams need the same understanding of the method, responsibilities and conditions under which work will pause. Assess the actual equipment and landing arrangement through the approved process.

Confirm communications and the authority to stop. A fictional crew notices that radio messages are being clipped, but movement continues because the slot is short. That is the moment to re-establish a reliable control, not a reason to assume everyone heard enough.

• Verify the authorised transfer method and competent personnel.
• Check required lifesaving equipment and rescue readiness.
• Apply the approved weather and movement limits to current conditions.
• Pause when communications, receiving readiness or assessed conditions are no longer adequate.

Mooring and lifting: review the exposure path

Line tension, suspended loads and moving equipment can create severe exposure. A marked area is useful only when it matches the actual operation and people understand its boundary. Do not assume a person is safe solely because they stand outside a painted zone.

Use the approved mooring or lifting assessment to confirm positions, communications and withdrawal criteria. Changes to load, configuration or simultaneous work may require reassessment. People should be able to stop without being pressured by the schedule.

Pollution prevention begins before the hose is connected

A transfer plan should identify what could escape, where it could travel and how the team will stop the flow. Confirm receiving capacity, equipment condition, communication between parties and the approved spill-response arrangements.

For an FPSO and visiting vessel, responsibilities must be clear across the interface. Neither side should assume the other has checked a critical condition. Use a joint verification appropriate to the operation and keep response materials suited to the foreseeable release.

• Confirm product identity and the agreed transfer sequence.
• Verify hose, connection and containment arrangements through competent checks.
• Agree who can stop the transfer and how that signal reaches both parties.
• Maintain the required attendance and monitor for changing conditions.

A drill should expose uncertainty

Emergency readiness involves more than a completed muster list. Exercise the real reporting route, account for visitors and contractors, and test coordination with shore support. Include realistic constraints such as an unavailable route or loss of a normal communication channel.

Use controlled simulations; do not disable real protective equipment or create unsafe conditions to make the drill convincing. Record lessons with owners and verify the corrective actions before the next exercise.

Celebrate 24 September with a control demonstration

Select one marine operation and ask the team to demonstrate a critical control. Let the person performing the work explain the hazard, show the verification and identify the condition that would make them stop.

Discussion starter: Which part of our marine procedure is easiest to sign but hardest to demonstrate when conditions change?