THE SEAFARERS’S LONELINESS; A FACTOR OF RISK FOR MARITIME SAFETY

Very often, when speaking about reduction of crews the shipping industry just thinks about the technical possibilities for such reductions. Unfortunately it will be paid less attention to the sociological and psychological impact, which can put into risk the vessel and the crew. There are several human consequences of crew reduction that should be taken in account according to the different kind of trips and also to the general possibility of crews to communicate among themselves. The communication language and the availability of somebody to speak are both, very important. Boredom can also affect concentration and attention. The loneliness feeling can, on the other hand, propitiate the consume of drugs in the case of people with some tendency to addictions. In this paper we will analyze these factors and suggest also some guidelines for the future.