Why safety culture matters more than ever

Gard CEO Rolf Thore Roppestad outlines how the marine insurer is stepping beyond its traditional role to become a valued partner in safety, wellbeing and loss prevention. With ‘Safer with Gard’ as a central pillar of its 2030 strategy, the mutual is using data, technology and targeted partnerships to support seafarers, strengthen safety culture and deliver actionable, real-world insight to its customers.

A shared responsibility for safer seas
Shipping has made impressive strides in operational safety. From the late 90s to around 2018, we saw a steady decline in accidents. But recently, the trend has levelled off – in some cases even ticked upward. At the same time, the operating environment is shifting, with new technologies, changing trade patterns and increasing complexity across the board. In that context, doubling down on safety isn’t just wise, it’s essential.

At Gard, we insure around 50% of the global fleet, either for P&I or Hull. That means we sit on an incredible wealth of data, not just from within our own portfolio but across the wider industry. When we analyse for patterns, compare peer performance and enrich our internal insight with external sources, we’re in a unique position to support better decision-making. That is the foundation of our ‘Safer with Gard’ strategy – it is not just a tagline but something we will deliver on through concrete, day-to-day actions.

From insurer to industry partner
Gard exists to insure people, property and the environment. But more than that, we’re part of the global safety net for seafarers – especially those working under flags where state-based protections are limited. As a mutual, our role is not only to manage risk but to share insight, lift standards and support the people who keep global trade moving.

That means leaning into our role, being an active industry partner, not just a policy provider. The same data that helps us make smarter business decisions can also be used to help our members reduce incidents, improve safety culture and benchmark themselves against peers. We don’t claim to have all the answers but we do believe that what we know can be useful to others. And when one member benefits, we all benefit.

Investing in safety culture

We see a wide range of safety cultures across the fleets we support – and we see the results of those cultures in claims data. Some members have excellent records. Others have more frequent crew claims, navigational incidents or cargo issues, for example. Each case is different but the patterns are clear. Where safety is embedded – not just in manuals but in culture, decisions, feedback loops and leadership – results follow.

That is why we have decided to invest in safety culture. As a first step, we are now partnering with SAYFR, a leading provider of safety culture assessments and culture development programs for the maritime industry. Through this collaboration, our customers will have the opportunity to map their own risks, both onboard and ashore, get tailored advice, and ultimately, reduce the risk of accidents.

We’ve also built a dedicated member portal that lets clients see how they’re performing across key indicators relative to their peers – as a practical way to turn data into action. This means that we can dig deeper, asking for example, why are these vessels doing better than others? Is it speed, port behaviour, suppliers? That level of granularity is where the real change happens – and where we can help.

Wellbeing as a living priority
The pandemic brought seafarer wellbeing into sharper focus, but it was overdue. Life at sea is demanding, and mental-health challenges are often hidden or underreported. We can’t fix this with checklists. What we can do is provide meaningful and accessible support.

One of our most successful initiatives is the Mariners Medico Guide – a mobile app providing guidance on both physical and mental-health symptoms. It has been downloaded more than 25,000 times since its launch. For crew members out at sea without immediate access to medical expertise, this kind of support is vital.

In addition to the collaboration with SAYFR, we also partner with Navtor to deliver advice and risk intelligence directly to the bridge. Whether it’s decision-making tools, wellbeing support or leadership training, our focus is always the same: enabling people to make better choices, at sea and on shore.

Loss prevention redefined
We’ve always believed in prevention but we’re putting more weight behind it than ever. It’s now a central pillar of our strategy. Through our new digital portal, we’re helping customers benchmark their performance, identify risk trends and explore targeted actions. And that’s just the beginning.

Behind the scenes, we’re also combining a wide range of data from various sources, including AIS and our own claims data, to detect subtle patterns and provide members with insights they might not see from inside their own operations. Some of this is already paying off – for example, identifying navigational risks at specific ports or understanding why similar vessels in the same fleet perform differently.

But the real leap forward will be in how we share that knowledge. The revolution isn’t just in insight, it’s in the communication. Getting the right information to the right people, at the right time, is what will move the needle most.

Why Nor-Shipping matters
We’re proud to be a consistent partner with Nor-Shipping. It’s one of the few places where the full maritime ecosystem still comes together – not just to talk shop but to explore what kind of industry we want to build. Shipping remains a face-to-face business, still small enough that we can know each other, collaborate across lines and keep global systems functional in a time of fragmentation.

In addition, Nor-Shipping as a platform reinforces the strength of the Norwegian maritime cluster, from shipowners to suppliers and regulators. This mix of global perspective and local roots is something we’re proud to promote.