SIRE 2.0, human factors and safety culture in tanker operations

From systems and procedures to operational performance

Historically, tanker inspections focused on whether systems, procedures and equipment were in place. Under SIRE 2.0, inspectors now assess how work is actually carried out on board, not just how it is described in procedures.

This includes:

• How crews communicate during routine and non routine operations
• How teams coordinate safety critical tasks
• How individuals recognise and manage risk
• How fatigue, workload and stress influence decision making
• How procedures are understood and applied in practice

The introduction of graded inspection outcomes reflects this shift. Rather than binary pass or fail findings, SIRE 2.0 evaluates whether performance is as expected, largely as expected, exceeds expectations, or does not meet expectations.

Understanding this gap between work as imagined and work as done often requires a structured assessment of human factors and team performance, particularly in complex, safety critical environments such as tanker operations.

Human factors are now central to SIRE 2.0 inspections

A defining feature of SIRE 2.0 is the introduction of nine Performance Influencing Factors (PIFs), the environmental, organisational and individual conditions that shape how work is performed. PIF’s are essential for diagnosing not just what went wrong but why, these include:

• Team dynamics, communication and coordination
• Stress, workload and fatigue
• Morale and motivation
• Competence and Training, including readiness for the unexpected
• Accessibility and usability of procedures and work practices
• Organisational culture, including Management support, learning culture and just culture 

The purpose of the PIF framework is not to attribute blame, but to understand the organisational and operational conditions that influence behaviour.

For tanker operators, this means that human factors in shipping are no longer abstract concepts. They are now assessable elements of inspection outcomes and require deliberate attention at both leadership and operational levels.

Safety culture under real operating conditions

SIRE 2.0 also changes how safety culture is evaluated. Rather than relying solely on policy statements or safety management systems, inspectors observe how safety is applied during everyday tanker operations.

This includes:

• Whether crews feel able to speak up about concerns- a just culture
• Whether leadership set the tone- visible, engaged & aligned with safe outcomes
• Whether there is an engaged crew who take ownership
• Whether learning from previous inspections is evident on board

In this context, safety culture becomes an operational issue that directly affects inspection performance. Strengthening culture therefore relies on understanding how teams actually work on board, not just how processes are designed.

Leadership and organisational alignment

Leadership culture is increasingly visible through SIRE 2.0 inspection findings. Consistency of behaviour across a fleet, quality of communication and clarity of operational intent all reflect leadership culture.

This places greater emphasis on:

• Alignment between shore based leadership and shipboard operations
• Consistent behavioural expectations across vessels
• Effective learning and feedback following inspections

Developing the leadership conditions for safe operations requires more than technical competence. It involves supporting leaders at all levels to create clarity, trust and consistent expectations across the organisation.

The risk of fragmented responses to SIRE 2.0

Many tanker organisations respond to SIRE 2.0 by adding procedures, training and documentation. While these controls remain important, they do not fully address the human and cultural elements now being assessed.

Common challenges include:

• Strong compliance on paper but inconsistent behaviour in practice- work as imagined v work as done
• Variability in performance between vessels
• Repeated inspection observations linked to similar PIFs

SIRE 2.0 highlights the limits of technical controls when human performance and safety culture are not equally supported. Addressing this requires an integrated view of safety performance in high hazard environments, where behaviour, leadership and systems interact continuously.

What tanker operators are now being asked to address

SIRE 2.0 does not replace operational standards. Instead, it requires organisations to ensure that systems, people and behaviours are aligned.

This includes:

• Understanding how work is actually performed on board
• Recognising the conditions that influence safe performance
• Supporting leadership at all levels to reinforce consistent behaviours
• Creating space for learning rather than defensiveness following inspections

In this environment, safety culture in tanker operations is no longer an aspiration. It is a practical determinant of inspection outcomes, charterer confidence and operational resilience, aligning safety with credibility, competence and trust.