This document provides an overview of a thesis presentation on cultural diversity onboard ships. The presentation aims to describe the multicultural manning phenomenon, identify problems with culture shock, and discuss the role of a socio-cultural approach in improving maritime safety. It outlines objectives to analyze challenges of multinational crews and the need for socio-cultural training. The methodology includes primary data collection through observation and analysis and secondary data from publications. The presentation discusses findings from a survey of seafarers and non-seafarers and recommends that maritime institutions include socio-cultural subjects and that organizations provide short cultural training courses.

1. ‘Cultural Diversity on board the Ship’
Course Title: Thesis
Semester: 8th
Date of Presentation: 24 September 2019

2. Supervised By
Presented By
Robiul Hasan
Academy NO. : 4023
BMS Roll NO. : E-50062
Department: Engineering
Bangladesh Marine Academy
Dr. Sajid Hussain
Commandant,
Bangladesh Marine Academy

3. CONTENTS
• Objective of the Study
• Statement of the problem
• Research Questions
• Methodology
• Limitation of the Study
• Cultural Diversity
• Socio-Cultural Study for Maritime Safety
• Findings
• Recommendations
• Conclusion
• Reference

4. OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY
• Describe the present multicultural manning phenomenon in maritime shipping.
• Identify and discuss the main problems of culture shock within mixed-crews onboard
ship.
• Discuss and analyze the role of the socio-cultural approach in multinational and
multicultural shipping in order to improve maritime safety.
• Discuss and analyze the role of concerned parties, such as MET institutions,
Maritime administrations and IMO, in the implementation of a socio-cultural study
of seafarers.
• Formulate recommendations related to socio-cultural training in maritime
institutions and shipping companies.

5. STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
• Communication problems
• Diversity challenge
• Reduction of interest in seafaring career
• Cultural education challenges in MET institutions
and in shipping companies

6. RESEARCH QUESTIONS
1. What are the main challenges related to multinational crews onboard
ships?
2. Is a socio-cultural approach needed in order to improve safety in
multinational shipping?
3. Why is the socio-cultural approach important in multinational shipping?
4. Should maritime institutions conduct a socio-cultural course?
5. Should IMO recommend a publication?

7. METHODOLOGY
Primary
Data
Observation
Analysis
Secondary
Data
Publications,
Journal, Articles
Website

8. LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY
 Insufficient published documents
 Inadequate information in the website
 Due to Confidentiality, it was not possible to collect sufficient
quantitative data from the organization.
 Unavailability of recent data.

9. CULTURAL DIVERSITY
Global Culture
Source: International Day celebration in 2010 at
World Maritime University(WMU)
Shipping Challenge:
Multicultural Crews
on board the ship

10. Western Vs Asian Culture
Relative sense of self Leadership
Weekend ActivitiesPublic ExpressionRelationship Model
Confronting a problem
Western Culture
Asian Culture

11. MARITIME ACCIDENTS
DUE TO HUMAN ELEMENTS
TANKER MOORING ACCIDENT:
REASON:
Failure in communications between the pilot and the ship’s master.
BULK CARRIER GROUNDING :
REASON:
Failure in communications between the helmsman and the pilot
PASSENGER SHIP FIRE:
REASON:
The officers and many crews did not share a common language.

12. HUMAN ELEMENTS
Relationship & Social Interaction
LeadershipCommunication Skill
Behavior

13. CULTURE SHOCK
STAGES OF CULTURE SHOCK:
1. Honey moon stage : the confusion feeling and struggling when arriving in the new culture.
2. Adjustment stage: Irritated and frustrated with the cross culture life
3. Autonomy stage: Learning to accept the different cultures
4. Independent stage: Completely understands and adjusts to the host culture

14. ADJUSTMENT & ADAPTATION
• On board ship, mixed-crews need interaction to avoid alienation.
• Culture shock can be managed by developing and maintaining social support to
share experiences or just being with people who we feel comfortable with.

15. SOCIO-CULTURAL STUDY
FOR MARITIME SAFETY
How to collaborate and to cooperate
How to find expertise people and ask them
the relevant questions
Changing mentality to be more helpful and
realize the benefits of assisting Colleagues
Learning how to work together in
teamwork efforts
Model course
for professionalism
of Cadets should include:

16. FINDINGS OF THE STUDY
 NO. of Respondents: 97
 Countries:
Cape Verde, Indonesia, Madagascar,
Russia, Netherlands, Ukraine and the
United Kingdom
SEAFARERS
NON-SEAFARERS
 NO. of Respondents: 91
 Participating Countries:
Students of WMU, Lund University and
locals in Malmö city, Sweden from Africa,
Asia, Europe and the Middle East.

17. RECOMMENDATION
 A Journal on Socio-cultural study can be published by IMO.
 Along with technical courses, MET institutions should be pro-active to conduct education in non-
technical subjects. A socio-cultural subject needs to be included in the curriculum.
 Each Maritime Institutes should build a Marine/Maritime Research Centre.
 Shipping companies and manning agencies should take the initiative to provide short course/training
related to cultures. This course should be conducted before the seafarer signs on a ship.
 The lecture hours of Maritime English in the MET syllabus should be extended to non-English speaking
countries. The assessment in this subject should also be evaluated carefully.
 Students in MET institutions should be enriched with internationally known language knowledge other
than English, such as Chinese, Spanish and French.
 Before joining a ship, a seafarer should be informed about the nationalities of the crew onboard.

18. CONCLUSION
 The majority of respondents in this survey affirmed that the companies
(maritime institutions) where they are serving have been requiring sufficient
English literacy for the employees. The respondents are both seafarers and
non-seafarers.
 The need for a socio-cultural study is supported by the fact that there are
more multicultural seafarer employments and they still find many
differences and gaps among cultures, especially East and West.
 Young people like pre-sea Cadets, future shipmates should be taught
that, whatever culture they belong to, humankind should build bridges and
not create gaps.

19. REFERENCES
• Ageyev, V.S., Gindis B., Kozulin, A. & Miller S.M. (2003). Sociocultural Theory and Education: Students, Teachers and
Knowledge. Cambridge: University of Cambridge..
• Dorfman, P.W., Felix, C.B., Gupta, R. & Hanse, R.J. (2004). Culture, Leadership and Organization. The GLOBE Study
of 62 Societies. London: SAGE.
• Håvold, J.I. (2005) Safety-culture in a Norwegian shipping company. Safety Research Journal, 36, 441-458.
• International Maritime Organization. (2002). Standard Marine Communication Phrases. London : IMO
• Bibikova, A. & Kotelnikov, V. (2001). East versus West Philosophy, Cultural Values, and Mindset. Retrieved February 8,
2010 from the World Wide Web: http://www.1000ventures.com/business_guide/crosscuttings/cultures_eastwest-
phylosophy.html
• Decortis, F. & Lentini L. (2009). A Socio Cultural Perspective of Creativity for the Design of Educational Environment.
University of Liege, Belgium. Retrieved February 17, 2010 from the World Wide Web:
http://www.uh.cu/static/documents/STA/A%20sociocultural%20perspective%20creativity.pdf
ELECTRONIC SOURCES:
PUBLICATIONS:

20. THANK YOU!
Any Questions ?