ABSTRACT
The stress level and communication of the deck crew on a ferry reflects the situational changes during the voyage. The – to some extend paradoxical – hypothesis is, that the phases of a voyage immediately before arrival to port are associated with higher levels of stress and mental activity as well as higher rates of actual and relevant communication than the final arrival phase of the voyage. The empirical findings from this paper supports the hypothesis, and the reasonable explanation could be, that the anticipation and preparation of the arrival and the resulting demand for situation awareness on level 3 is the generator of the observed high levels of stress in the phases before arrival. This knowledge could be valuable in the understanding of how the human factor contributes to the safety at sea, in the training of officers and in the design of procedures and equipment for the maritime domain.
