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Our safety culture…

Our shared vision is to achieve zero harm…

Berge Bulk emphasises a strong safety culture with a vision to achieve zero harm to people and the planet. The company is committed to implementing the highest safety standards in the maritime industry, focusing on proactive measures, continuous improvement, and open communication. Our safety initiatives include comprehensive training programmes, the Safety Matters Handbook, and the Safety Delta reporting process to foster a resilient safety culture.

Key Points

  • Vision: Achieve zero incidents, spills, and injuries.
  • Proactive Approach: Cultivate a safety-oriented culture through clear leadership and communication.
  • Safety Initiatives: Implement the Safety Matters Programme and Safety Delta reporting for continuous improvement.
  • Ongoing Training: Provide crew with robust training on safety-related topics and real-world scenarios.
  • Safety Standards: Adhere to ISM Code, MLC 2006, ISPS Code, ISO 9001, and ISO 14001.

Our Safety Performance

2023

Berge Bulk Safety Performance 2023

Our shared vision is to achieve zero harm — for our people and for the planet

We achieve this by holding ourselves accountable and fostering a culture of the highest safety standards. With this commitment, we have built the foundations for a safe, efficient and sustainable business.

Our ultimate goals are zero incidents, zero spills and zero injuries.

Health and safety standards are critical in the maritime industry — the very nature of seafaring presents a higher risk of accidents compared to many other professions. Our top priority is to provide a safe working environment for all of our employees, especially those working at sea with complex equipment.

Berge Bulk Safety Standard booklet

Improving Safety Standards

Berge Bulk implements strong safety measures across all of its working environments, with a commitment to continuous improvement. We achieve this through open communication, shared safety values, thorough training and a culture of self-evaluation.

Our Safety Policy emphasises our management’s focus on safety, adhering to ISM Code, MLC 2006, ISPS Code, ISO 9001, and ISO 14001. Our effective Safety Management System addresses all vessel operations, ensuring we identify and manage potential health and safety risks effectively.

A Proactive Approach to Safety

Maritime industry safety standards often focus on reacting to incidents after they occur. At Berge Bulk, we take a proactive and preventative approach. Our emphasis goes beyond encouraging safe behaviour; we actively cultivate a safety-oriented culture through clear leadership communication, thus eliminating any ambiguity regarding acceptable workplace practices.

Our goal is a shipping industry where the highest safety standards are commonplace, achieved through strengthened training programmes, improved wellbeing initiatives and enhanced safety protocols.

Our Safety Initiatives

We continually review our safety initiatives, always looking for new or better ways to ensure an ever-improving safety culture within the organisation. Some of the initiatives we use to do this are:

Safety Matters logo

Safety Matters Programme

Berge Bulk’s ‘Safety Matters’ programme encompasses our efforts to build a pervasive and resilient safety culture throughout the whole organisation. As part of this programme, our Safety Standard Handbook serves as a comprehensive guide to best practices in key risk management processes. The handbook provides information on risk assessments, situational awareness, toolbox talks and job debriefs, and is readily available to all employees, both at sea and on shore.

The 5 Safety i's Safety Matters poster

OUR CORE SAFETY PRINCIPLES: 5 SAFETY I’S

  • INSIGHT: Seek and share knowledge and understanding of all safety-related matters at all times.
  • INNOVATION: Strive for continuous improvement — go beyond compliance and reach for excellence.
  • INFLUENCE: Use your influence to inspire your colleagues with good safety practices and create an open and trusting atmosphere.
  • INTERVENTION: Support your colleagues by intervening whenever you see unsafe conditions or acts.
  • INTEGRATION: Integrate safety into all work processes, plans and activities.

SAFETY DELTA

We have introduced a reporting process — Safety Delta — to enhance safety standards and promote improvement through anonymous crew feedback via a survey.

The Safety Delta report visually represents fleet-wide safety, down to individual vessels, and is shared with all ships to encourage discussions among officers and crew about safety issues.

This promotes openness and trust, allowing crew feedback to highlight safety concerns, identify improvement areas, thus enhancing our overall safety.

The Incredible Bulk leading the way on Safety Matters

Safety Training

Our ongoing safety training programmes provide crew members with a strong foundation in various subjects, including navigation, equipment operation, port/sea safety, and our Safety Matters standards. The introduction of two mandatory safety case studies based on real-world scenarios has enhanced the programme, leading to shipboard discussions and questionnaires that are reviewed by Marine Superintendents.

National Maritime Safety at Sea Council

The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) has formed the National Maritime Safety at Sea Council (NMSSC) to provide safety advisory support. Berge Bulk has joined the MPA Safe Navigational Work Group to analyse navigational incidents and recommend safety improvements in Singapore’s waters — covering berth layouts, vessel access to terminals, safe anchoring, bunker operations and marine environmental protection.