Seafarers’ current awareness, knowledge, motivation and ideas towards Low Carbon – Energy Efficient operations

Worldwide there is increasing concern regarding green house gases, in particular carbon emissions and their detrimental effects to our earth’s atmosphere; resulting in climate change. International and National pressure requires the shipping industry to play its’ role in reducing the 3.3% of total global carbon emission that it currently emits into the atmosphere. On the 1st January 2013 the IMO are expected to enforce mandatory measures to reduce shipping carbon emissions and these measures will directly and indirectly affect the daily operations of seafarers, onshore performance staff, and managerial personnel with influence over operational procedures. It is therefore imperative that these personnel have the awareness, knowledge, skills, and motivation necessary to
successfully implement the operational changes that are needed. A questionnaire has been distributed to investigate seafarers’ and onshore personnels current levels of awareness, knowledge and motivation towards carbon emissions in general and towards shipping carbon emissions. The
questionnaire also asked participants to contribute which level of personnel have the most influence over carbon changes and what are the most important operational improvements that can be made. 317 questionnaire responses were collected in total and the analysis of the results is discussed within this paper. The primary benefit of this study has been to support the development of a
specific Low Carbon – Energy Efficiency maritime education and training program, by identifying target group needs and attitudes, and key areas for focus.