Scoping exercise relating to the future evaluation of evidence underpinning decision-making in the shipping industry

Evidence in Maritime Decision-Making

The scoping exercise explored the types of evidence that support decision-making in the shipping industry, where that evidence is located, and how accessible it is. Here’s what it found:

The IMO's central role

The International Maritime Organization (IMO) plays a dominant role in shaping decisions across the maritime sector.

Limited transparency in IMO resolutions

References to supporting evidence in IMO resolutions are rare. Even when the evidence is mentioned, it is often difficult or impossible to access.

Inconsistent links to evidence in supporting documents

Some documents from the Maritime Safety Committee (MSC), its working groups, and sub-committees like the Sub-Committee on Ship Systems and Equipment (SSE) and the Sub-Committee on Ship Design and Construction (SDC), could be connected to decision-making. However, this was not consistently the case.

Lack of referenced evidence

Of  the documents that could be linked to specific decisions, 44% provided no references or indication of underpinning evidence.

Improved clarity in sub-committee documents

Sub-committee documents offered clearer connections to decisions. Nine such documents identified in the review provided sufficient detail to trace and access the supporting evidence.

Challenges in accessing evidence in vertical decision pathways

In reviewing vertically segmented decision-making processes, 31 documents were linked to decisions or recommendations. Of these, 25 mentioned evidence, but the sources were not identifiable or accessible.