Short course300 h · Online · 5 modules

Ethics and Responsibility at Sea Course

The Ethics and Responsibility at Sea Course prepares you to face the moral and legal challenges of today's maritime environment. You will learn to make informed, fair decisions in critical situations, understanding how your actions affect safety, the environment and human wellbeing, and you will gain the tools to exercise ethical leadership and promote a culture of responsibility and transparency in everything you do at sea.

Duration300 h
ModeOnline
Start1 December
Modules5
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About the program

What is the Ethics and Responsibility at Sea Course?

This short course gives you a practical framework for behaving ethically and responsibly at sea, whether you skipper a recreational boat, crew a vessel, run maritime excursions or work in a marina or nautical school. You will study what maritime ethics is and how it differs from legal rules, good practice, moral responsibility and seafaring culture; the responsibilities of skippers, crew, passengers, water-sports users and tour operators; respect for marine wildlife, sensitive seabeds and vulnerable ecosystems; the responsible management of waste, fuels and hazardous materials; coexistence with other users of shared waters; prudent decision-making when planning trips or facing bad weather, fatigue or group pressure; and the duty to assist people and vessels in difficulty.

What sets this course apart: analysis of real ethical dilemmas from the maritime sector, so principles are applied to concrete situations; an up-to-date view of the international and national rules that govern conduct at sea; a strong focus on communicating values and defending your principles; tools for assessing the consequences of your actions and choosing the most responsible option; an interactive approach with debates, simulations and practical exercises; and an applied project in which you design a code of maritime conduct for a real or realistic case.

Program typeShort course
ModeOnline
Duration300 hours
Modules5
Start1 December

Program highlights

  • Maritime ethics: prudence, respect, solidarity, honesty, prevention and care for the environment.
  • Shared responsibility: the roles of skipper, crew, passengers, tour operators and recreational users.
  • Environmental conduct: wildlife, sensitive seabeds, waste, fuels and responsible anchoring.
  • Shared waters: nautical courtesy, safety distances and priority for vulnerable users.
  • Prudent decisions and the duty to assist people and vessels in difficulty.
  • Applied project: a code of maritime conduct with protocols for a real case.
Syllabus

Syllabus of the Ethics and Responsibility at Sea Course

5 modules. Select a module to see its content.

Module 1

Foundations of maritime ethics, personal responsibility and safe conduct in the marine environment

  • 1.1. The concept of ethics at sea and the differences between legal rules, good practice, moral responsibility and seafaring culture
  • 1.2. Core principles: prudence, respect, solidarity, honesty, prevention, care for the environment and nautical coexistence
  • 1.3. Responsibilities of the skipper, crew, passengers, water-sports users, tour operators and recreational users
  • 1.4. The relationship between ethics, safety, trust, reputation, sustainability and the protection of human life at sea
  • 1.5. Risks of irresponsible conduct: accidents, pollution, conflict, sanctions, harm to third parties and damage to the environment
At this stage
60 hestimated workload
5 wkweeks at your pace
Module 2

Respect for the marine environment, sustainability and responsible environmental behavior

  • 2.1. Protection of marine wildlife, coastal birds, sensitive seabeds, seagrass meadows, reefs and vulnerable ecosystems
  • 2.2. Responsible management of waste, plastics, oils, fuels, gray water, black water and hazardous materials
  • 2.3. Good practice in anchoring, navigation, recreational fishing, snorkelling, diving, excursions and nautical activities
  • 2.4. Prevention of pollution, noise, habitat disturbance and disruption to protected species
  • 2.5. The relationship between maritime tourism, the blue economy, conservation, environmental education and user responsibility
At this stage
60 hestimated workload
5 wkweeks at your pace
Module 3

Coexistence, respect for other users and social responsibility in shared maritime spaces

  • 3.1. Coexistence between vessels, bathers, fishers, water-sports users, divers, ports, local communities and tour operators
  • 3.2. Respectful communication, nautical courtesy, compliance with signals, safety distances and priority for vulnerable users
  • 3.3. Prevention of conflict caused by noise, speed, anchoring, passing close to beaches, occupation of space and irresponsible use of equipment
  • 3.4. Inclusion, dignified treatment, non-discrimination, cultural respect and attention to people with specific needs in maritime activities
  • 3.5. Responsibility towards passengers, minors, beginners, guests and groups with no nautical experience
At this stage
60 hestimated workload
5 wkweeks at your pace
Module 4

Ethical safety, prudent decision-making and the duty to assist at sea

  • 4.1. Prudence in planning trips, assessing the weather, the condition of the boat, the experience of the group and personal limits
  • 4.2. Responsible decisions in the face of bad weather, fatigue, alcohol, group pressure, overconfidence or lack of preparation
  • 4.3. The duty to assist, maritime solidarity, alerting the emergency services and giving safe support to people or vessels in difficulty
  • 4.4. Transparency in communicating risks, safety rules, restrictions, cancellations and changes of itinerary
  • 4.5. Ethical conduct after incidents: taking responsibility, reporting, documenting, cooperating and learning from mistakes
At this stage
60 hestimated workload
5 wkweeks at your pace
Module 5

Applied project in ethics and responsibility at sea

  • 5.1. Definition of the case: recreational boat, maritime excursion, water activity, marina, nautical school or coastal community
  • 5.2. Diagnosis of the ethical, environmental, social, commercial and safety risks associated with the chosen case
  • 5.3. Design of a code of maritime conduct with principles, rules, responsibilities and good operating practice
  • 5.4. Preparation of protocols for environmental respect, coexistence, risk communication, the duty to assist and response to incidents
  • 5.5. Proposal of education, awareness, reputation, follow-up and continuous improvement actions for maritime responsibility
At this stage
60 hestimated workload
5 wkweeks at your pace
Plan your pace

Duration and format of the Ethics and Responsibility at Sea Course

It is 300 hours. Tell us how many you can study each week and we will tell you when you will really finish.

4 h30 h
With 12 h per week
6
months to finish
25 weeks
weeks in total

This is the pace at which most students finish. It fits well with the installment plan.

Faculty

Academic leadership and faculty

The Navalis teaching team: working professionals who teach and supervise the programs.

Dra. Marina AlcoverDr. Marina AlcoverAcademic Director and Head of Quality Assurance
Ing. Diego CifuentesEng. Diego CifuentesSenior Lecturer in Naval Welding and Non-Destructive Testing; Head of QA/QC for Welded Joints
Cap. Javier Abaroa (MCA)Capt. Javier Abaroa (MCA)Senior Lecturer in Ship Handling, Electronic Navigation (ECDIS/Radar/ARPA) and GMDSS; STCW Compliance and Bridge Resource Management Coordinator
Dr. Pau FerrerDr. Pau FerrerSenior Lecturer in Naval Architecture and Simulation; Director of the Hydrodynamics and CFD Laboratory
Dra. Nuria LlobregatDr. Nuria LlobregatSenior Lecturer in Marine Meteorology, SAR and Operational Safety; Navigation Risk Management Coordinator
Ing. Javier BañulsEng. Javier BañulsSenior Lecturer in Electrical Engineering, Automation and ETO Engineering; Electronic Integration and Engine Alarms Coordinator
Ing. Sofía MarquinaEng. Sofía MarquinaSenior Lecturer in Materials, Composites and Corrosion Protection; Coordinator of the Advanced Paints and Coatings Line
Ing. Tomás RieraEng. Tomás RieraSenior Lecturer in Propulsion, Alternative Energy and Hybrid Systems; Energy Performance and Vibration Coordinator
Objectives

Objectives of the Ethics and Responsibility at Sea Course

01Demonstrate professional, ethical conduct in every maritime interaction, following company codes of conduct and international rules and reporting any violation or compromising situation to the competent authorities.
02Comply with maritime regulations and safety standards, understanding how emergencies such as fire, flooding or man overboard are handled under SOLAS procedures and in coordination with the authorities.
03Manage resources responsibly and sustainably, for example by reducing fuel consumption through route planning and monitoring of the vessel's performance.
04Foster a culture of responsibility and transparency in maritime decision-making, applying standardized IMO communication procedures and reporting incidents and deviations as the rules require.
05Put the safety of human life at sea first in every operation and decision, keeping a vigilant lookout with all available means and communicating emergencies according to established protocols.
06Act with integrity and honesty in all maritime activities, rigorously observing safety regulations and professional ethical standards and reporting any irregularity or suspicious behavior.
Careers

Career opportunities after the Ethics and Responsibility at Sea Course

01Maritime ethics consultantadvising companies and organizations on responsible, sustainable practice in the sector.
02Corporate social responsibility auditor in the maritime fieldchecking that shipping companies, ports and related bodies meet ethical and social standards.
03Compliance officer in maritime companiesdesigning and implementing regulatory and ethical compliance programs.
04Ethics and responsibility trainer in maritime organizationstraining sector professionals in ethics, sustainability and social responsibility.
05Sustainability manager in shipping and port companiesrunning projects to reduce the environmental and social impact of maritime operations.
06Mediator in maritime conflictsresolving disputes between companies, workers and other stakeholders from an ethical perspective.
Frequently asked questions

Questions about the Ethics and Responsibility at Sea Course

Because healthy ocean ecosystems are essential to the balance of the planet and to human wellbeing. The course shows how anchoring, waste, noise and speed affect wildlife and habitats, and what good practice looks like.

Every decision at sea, from going out in doubtful weather to where you anchor or how you treat passengers, has consequences for safety, the environment and other people. The course gives you criteria for weighing those consequences and choosing responsibly.

No. It is useful for officers and crew, but also for recreational skippers, tour operators, marina and nautical school staff and anyone who uses or manages shared maritime spaces.

Yes. One module deals with maritime solidarity, alerting the emergency services and giving safe support to people or vessels in difficulty, alongside prudent decision-making and conduct after incidents.

You choose a case such as a recreational boat, an excursion, a marina or a coastal community, diagnose its ethical and safety risks and design a code of maritime conduct with protocols for the environment, coexistence and incidents.

Fully online, through a virtual campus available 24/7, with debates, case studies, simulations and practical exercises to consolidate what you learn.

The course comprises 300 hours of study across 5 modules of about 60 hours each and ends with an applied project. You can progress at your own pace within the schedule set when you enroll.

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Online admission

Admission process

No waiting for a call back. If your documents are in order, you can enroll in the same session.

Entry requirements
  • Profile: aimed at maritime professionals at every level, officers and crew who aspire to responsible leadership, managers of shipping companies, students of maritime programs, maritime lawyers and consultants, and anyone with an interest in ethics and responsibility at sea; a basic understanding of how the maritime industry works is recommended.
  • Language: sufficient command of English to follow the classes and the technical documentation.
  • Technical resources: a computer with a stable internet connection, an up-to-date browser and software to view PDF documents.
  • Admission: online application, review of your profile and a short interview with the academic team.
  1. 01
    Application
    Your details, background and documents.
  2. 02
    Instant review
    We check that everything is complete and in order.
  3. 03
    Enrollment
    Choose full payment or instalments and reserve your place.
Start my applicationFrom $188 deposit

Admission is provisional until the committee validates the documents provided. If you do not meet the requirements, the full amount is refunded.

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