Study of Safety Culture Among Seafarers in Nigerian Coastal Shipping Companies

Safety culture shapes the attitudes, behaviours, and organisational practices that collectively determine the safety performance of maritime organisations. This study examines the prevailing safety culture among seafarers employed by Nigerian coastal shipping companies, focusing on vessels operating between Lagos, Warri, and Port Harcourt. A descriptive survey design was adopted, with a validated safety culture questionnaire administered to one hundred and forty seafarers across six coastal shipping companies. The questionnaire assessed dimensions of safety culture including management commitment, safety communication, crew safety participation, reporting culture, and personal risk perception. Findings indicate that safety culture scores are generally moderate, with seafarers reporting strong personal commitment to safety practices but lower confidence in management responsiveness to safety concerns. A significant proportion of respondents reported reluctance to report near-miss incidents due to fear of blame or negative employment consequences. Safety briefings are held inconsistently across companies, and safety management system documentation is not regularly accessible to crew. Seafarers with fewer than five years of experience display lower safety culture scores than more experienced counterparts. Recommendations include establishment of anonymous near-miss reporting systems, mandatory pre-voyage safety briefings, senior management visibility on safety issues, and participation in the IMO's maritime safety culture awareness initiative. Findings contribute to understanding the safety environment in coastal shipping, which receives less regulatory attention than international shipping. Keywords: safety culture, seafarers, coastal shipping, near-miss reporting, safety management