What is MRM?

Introduction
Maritime Resource Management (MRM)™ is a human factors training programme aimed at the maritime industry. The MRM training programme was launched in 1993 – at that time under the name Bridge Resource Management (BRM) – and aims at preventing incidents in maritime operations caused by human and organizational errors.

In MRM training it is assumed that there is a strong correlation between the attitudes and behaviours of the seafarers on board a ship and the cultures that these seafarers belong to – national, professional and organizational culture.

Important target groups for MRM training are therefore, besides ships’ officers and crew, all people in shore organisations who have an influence on safety at sea and the work on board a ship.

Definition
The use and co-ordination of all the skills, knowledge, experience and resources available to the team to achieve the established goals of safety and efficiency of a voyage or any other safety critical task.

Objectives of MRM training
To motivate the team – if necessary – to change its behaviour to good resource management practices during everyday operations. This includes understanding of the importance of good management and teamwork and the willingness to change behaviour. An overall objective is to increase safety, efficiency and job satisfaction in shipping companies and, eventually, in the maritime industry as a whole.

MRM course contents
The MRM course includes modules on Situation Awareness, Attitudes, Communication and Briefings, Challenge and Response, Authority and Assertiveness, Management Styles, Culture, Automation Awareness, Workload and more.

MRM training concepts
The MRM course is…

  • changing attitudes – not skills
  • focusing on crews as intact teams, not a collection of competent individuals
  • addressing crew member attitudes and behaviour
  • providing two sets of objectives: training objectives and specific behavioural objectives
  • providing computer based training for transfer of facts
  • utilising case studies and human interaction to change attitudes

More news and information about MRM is available at the Maritime Resource Management (MRM) discussion group on LinkedIn. Feel free to join.

If you are interested in obtaining an MRM licence, please click here for more details.