Professional Diploma in Fleet Team Dynamics
This professional diploma gives you the essential tools to build high-performing teams in maritime settings, both on each ship and across a whole fleet. You will learn how crews are organized, how to communicate clearly in the chain of command and in emergencies, how to adapt your leadership to each situation, how to apply bridge and engine resource management, how to resolve conflicts in multicultural crews and how to coordinate ships with the shore office to share good practice and improve performance.
Prior knowledge check
These are the skills this program gives you. Tick the ones you already master and we will tell you which part of the syllabus is for you.
You are starting from scratch in this subject. The program is designed precisely for that.
What is the Professional Diploma in Fleet Team Dynamics?
This professional diploma prepares you to understand and improve how maritime teams work, from a single watch to an entire fleet. You will study how teams form and develop, the roles within them, trust and psychological safety; how crews are organized by department and hierarchy, how deck, engine and catering coordinate, and how watch handovers and the integration of new crew are managed; closed-loop communication, briefings and debriefings and the barriers created by noise, stress and different languages; situational and crisis leadership and delegation; the principles of bridge and engine resource management, shared situational awareness, workload and just culture; and conflict resolution, mediation, negotiation and harassment prevention.
What sets this professional diploma apart: a fleet perspective that goes beyond the individual ship to cover coordination between vessels, company culture, ship-office communication and the comparison of performance indicators; the integration of BRM and ERM principles with everyday team management; a strong focus on multicultural crews and working-language communication; practical tools for watch handovers, briefings and onboarding of new crew; motivation, recognition and talent retention linked to career plans; and a final project in which you design a teamwork improvement plan for a real ship or fleet.
Program highlights
- Fleet perspective: coordination between ships, company culture and ship-office communication.
- Crew organization: departments, hierarchy, watch handovers and integration of new crew.
- Effective communication: chain of command, closed loop, briefings and emergencies.
- Situational leadership: delegation, crisis leadership and multicultural crews.
- Resource management: BRM and ERM principles, shared situational awareness and just culture.
- Final project: a teamwork improvement plan for a ship or fleet.
Syllabus of the Professional Diploma in Fleet Team Dynamics
8 modules. Select a module to see its content.
Foundations of teamwork
- 1.1. The concept of a team
- 1.2. Stages of team development
- 1.3. Roles within the team
- 1.4. Multicultural teams on board
- 1.5. Collective performance
- 1.6. Characteristics of high-performing teams
- 1.7. Trust and psychological safety
- 1.8. Diagnosing how the team works
Crew organization
- 2.1. Departments and hierarchy
- 2.2. Manning structure
- 2.3. Allocation of responsibilities
- 2.4. Coordination between departments
- 2.5. Ship-office coordination
- 2.6. Relationship between the deck, engine and catering departments
- 2.7. Watch handover procedures
- 2.8. Integration of newly embarked crew
Effective communication
- 3.1. Communication in the chain of command
- 3.2. Closed-loop communication
- 3.3. Communication in emergencies
- 3.4. Working language
- 3.5. Feedback
- 3.6. Operational briefings and debriefings
- 3.7. Non-verbal communication on board
- 3.8. Communication barriers and how to overcome them
Leadership
- 4.1. Leadership styles
- 4.2. Situational leadership
- 4.3. Authority and trust
- 4.4. Delegation
- 4.5. Leadership in a crisis
- 4.6. Leadership in multicultural environments
- 4.7. Leading by example and the credibility of command
- 4.8. Developing future leaders
Crew resource management
- 5.1. Principles of BRM and ERM
- 5.2. Shared situational awareness
- 5.3. Workload management
- 5.4. Team decision-making
- 5.5. Simulation
- 5.6. Error management and just culture
- 5.7. Simulator exercises
- 5.8. Team performance indicators
Conflict and negotiation
- 6.1. Sources of conflict on board
- 6.2. Resolution strategies
- 6.3. Mediation
- 6.4. Negotiation
- 6.5. Harassment prevention
- 6.6. Active listening techniques
- 6.7. Written agreements and commitments
- 6.8. Follow-up of resolved conflicts
Motivation and cohesion
- 7.1. Theories of motivation
- 7.2. Recognition and development
- 7.3. Cohesion and morale
- 7.4. Crew wellbeing
- 7.5. Talent retention
- 7.6. Career plans within the shipping company
- 7.7. Working climate and satisfaction surveys
- 7.8. Recognition programs
Fleet dynamics
- 8.1. Coordination between the ships of a fleet
- 8.2. Company culture
- 8.3. Transfer of good practice
- 8.4. Performance evaluation
- 8.5. Communication between the technical office and the ships
- 8.6. Comparing indicators between ships
- 8.7. Final review of the improvement plan
- 8.8. Final project: a teamwork improvement plan
Duration and format of the Professional Diploma in Fleet Team Dynamics
It is 800 hours. Tell us how many you can study each week and we will tell you when you will really finish.
This is the pace at which most students finish. It fits well with the installment plan.
Academic leadership and faculty
The Navalis teaching team: working professionals who teach and supervise the programs.
Dr. Marina AlcoverAcademic Director and Head of Quality Assurance
Eng. Diego CifuentesSenior Lecturer in Naval Welding and Non-Destructive Testing; Head of QA/QC for Welded Joints
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 FerrerSenior Lecturer in Naval Architecture and Simulation; Director of the Hydrodynamics and CFD Laboratory
Dr. Nuria LlobregatSenior Lecturer in Marine Meteorology, SAR and Operational Safety; Navigation Risk Management Coordinator
Eng. Javier BañulsSenior Lecturer in Electrical Engineering, Automation and ETO Engineering; Electronic Integration and Engine Alarms Coordinator
Eng. Sofía MarquinaSenior Lecturer in Materials, Composites and Corrosion Protection; Coordinator of the Advanced Paints and Coatings Line
Eng. Tomás RieraSenior Lecturer in Propulsion, Alternative Energy and Hybrid Systems; Energy Performance and Vibration CoordinatorObjectives of the Professional Diploma in Fleet Team Dynamics
Career opportunities after the Professional Diploma in Fleet Team Dynamics
Questions about the Professional Diploma in Fleet Team Dynamics
To improve the safety, performance and efficiency of ships and fleets by developing effective, collaborative teams on board and between ships and the shore office.
Motivation is one module; the focus is on how crews are organized, communicate and make decisions, on BRM and ERM principles and on coordination across a whole fleet.
No. It applies their principles to team management, but approved BRM and ERM courses required by maritime regulations are delivered by authorized training centers.
Yes. Working language, cultural differences, intercultural conflict and leadership in multicultural environments are covered throughout the program.
Masters, officers, fleet managers, superintendents, crewing and HR staff and maritime consultants and trainers who lead or support crews.
You diagnose how teams work on a ship or across a fleet and design an improvement plan covering organization, communication, leadership and indicators.
Fully online, through a virtual campus available 24/7, with live sessions that are recorded and tutorials with the teaching staff.
The professional diploma comprises 800 hours of study across 8 modules of about 100 hours each and ends with a final project. You can progress at your own pace within the schedule set when you enroll.
More programs in People and leadership
Admission process
No waiting for a call back. If your documents are in order, you can enroll in the same session.
- Profile: aimed at fleet managers and superintendents who want to improve communication, performance and cohesion on board, masters and deck and engine officers who lead crews, HR and crewing staff working on morale, retention and wellbeing, consultants and trainers in the maritime sector, and maritime professionals moving into leadership roles. A qualification in psychology, human resources, business administration or a similar field, or demonstrable experience in team management, leadership or fleet coordination, 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 a camera for live sessions and project presentations.
- Admission: online application, review of your profile and a short interview with the academic team.
- 01ApplicationYour details, background and documents.
- 02Instant reviewWe check that everything is complete and in order.
- 03EnrollmentChoose full payment or instalments and reserve your place.
Admission is provisional until the committee validates the documents provided. If you do not meet the requirements, the full amount is refunded.
Ask us before you enroll
Leave your details and admissions will write to you to answer any questions. If you are already sure, you can apply and pay in the same session.