Development of Marine Consulting Business in Advanced Shipping Countries -Use of Simulation for Safety Management as Part of an Effort toward the Revival of Maritime Society-

It has already been two decades or more ever since the shipping and its related industries began to mature in advanced shipping countries. During that period, such countries have made various attempts for the survival of the industries. The advent of the so-called flags of convenience in a big way for the purpose of replacing crew members of their own expensive seamen by those of developing countries and the emergence of ship management companies, which are literally engaged in the management of ships, are the results of such movements. Some countries have been making efforts, as measures for the continued existence of the maritime industries, to create new marine-related businesses without regard to the traditional concepts of the industries. The movement toward the restructuring of a maritime society in Norway is well known as a typical example of such endeavors. The business of marine consultancy relating to maritime safety management field in our country is also a business that came into existence in such a stream toward the revitalization of the maritime society. In this paper, as well as placing in focus the current picture and problems of marine industries in our country, we would like to present approaches to tackle these problems employed by advanced industrial nations in the West, that is, moves toward the revival of maritime communities. Next, we propose, as one of the answers to solve such problems, the further development of a consulting business which takes advantage of simulators. Lastly, we show specific examples of application of a simulator to the consulting business, while commenting on the effects of its use.