SUMMARY

The aim of this paper is to emphasise the importance of acquired knowledge based on past experiences of ship damages and casualties, and explain what role knowledge management needs to play in sharing such experiences to increase safety in the marine industry. The paper outlines the concepts of “knowledge management ” and “learning organisation”, and gives practical examples of how they are implemented within an International Ship Classification Society. It is argued that these concepts not only need to be an integral part of management in any marine organisation but also go beyond each organisation, and play a key role in forming partnerships between organisations that are stakeholders in the safety cycle. 1