MOSWOZ on Tour: engaging in dialogue on maritime safety
With ‘MOSWOZ on Tour’, MOSWOZ reaches out to the wider world. Every year, colleagues visit a number of stakeholders to give presentations, build relationships and engage in dialogue on maritime safety. Carien Droppers and Kees Storm share their experiences.
Sharing recommendations and results
Last year, MOSWOZ concluded the 2020–2025 programme period with the policy report ‘Maritime safety of offshore wind farms’ and the accompanying supporting document (in Dutch). The policy report and the supporting document are based on five years of research into the effects of offshore wind farms on maritime safety and the effectiveness of safety measures. During the MOSWOZ on Tour visits, the key recommendations and findings are shared. ‘We want to disseminate the policy report both within and outside the organisation,’ says Storm.
Strengthening the dialogue
On-site visits to stakeholders are nothing new. So what does make MOSWOZ on Tour different? ‘Previously, we mainly presented the results of studies into maritime safety,’ explains Droppers. ‘Now we’re talking about the policy report. We also actively seek dialogue: what are you working on in relation to safety and offshore wind? How do you view certain issues? What concerns do you have?’
Greater focus on the human factor
The stakeholders range from sector associations to international organisations. For example, MOSWOZ on Tour visited IALA, an international organisation dedicated to safe and efficient shipping. ‘IALA’s work includes safe navigation and traffic management,’ says Droppers. ‘There was a great deal of interest in the innovative Human Factors research conducted within MOSWOZ. While IALA mainly focuses on technology and equipment, this research addresses the role of people in incidents and maritime safety. The response I gathered from IALA was that the organisation could pay more attention to these human aspects.’
In conversation with the wind sector
Storm describes a visit to NedZero, the Dutch wind energy association. ‘We spoke with several wind farm operators. They indicated that maritime safety around wind farms receives more attention during the operational phase than during development and construction. In recent years, a number of incidents have occurred, prompting operators’ control centres to pay closer attention to maritime safety.’
Networking
According to Droppers, MOSWOZ on Tour is also about networking. ‘We build relationships that can lead to valuable collaborations in the future.’ Storm adds: ‘We have a list of potential visits, but we are certainly open to new invitations.’
Win-win scenario
MOSWOZ on Tour benefits both stakeholders and the research programme itself. Droppers explains: ‘The North Sea is changing, partly due to the development of offshore wind farms. Some parties are not yet fully aware of what this means for them. By engaging in dialogue, they become more aware of the potential implications for safety and operations. At the same time, it helps us gather input and generate new ideas, for example for future research.’