Potential safety influences of communication and language difficulties at sea: A comparison of vessels with and without multinational crews

The aim of the present study is to examine the potential influences of communication and language difficulties for maritime safety. The study is based on: 1) Literature review, 2) Qualitative interviews with 10 sector experts and 3) Small-scale survey (N = 222) among seafarers working on ships operating from Norway, registered in NOR, NIS and Flags of convenience (FOC). The literature review indicates that communication and language difficulties may be an important factor influencing maritime safety, and that this may be a main drawback of mixed nationality crews. The survey indicates that respondents on board mixed-nationality vessels experienced more unsafe situations because of language misunderstandings between different nationalities on board.