It’s all very well for a yard to have its paperwork in order, but what happens in practice is much more important. For example, what’s the point in having a certified jetty if the welder hangs off it? The Öresund yard introduced NINA to change the culture – and it has succeeded.

“In our survey, the yard was rated ‘unsatisfactory’ on a number of points,” reports TD inspector Cor Verheij. “The management were open about it, explaining that they were working on improving safety levels, but weren’t entirely sure how to go about it. That’s how NINA came up.”

“The great thing about NINA is that it’s very hands-on,” explains Anders Larsson, Managing Director of the Öresund yard. “There’s nothing extravagant, it’s just the basics. We were eager to adopt various parts of NINA, such as the toolbox meetings and systematically giving each other feedback. Using the NINA Values as a source of inspiration, we are working on changing our company’s culture.”

Setting a good example is an important part of this effort, as Cor Verheij explains: “When the yard’s project manager told us about an oil spill, we said, ‘thanks for letting us know. That’s exactly how we should behave towards each other’. This approach makes the message clear. There is no attacking or defending, it’s simply a case of working together to create a safer working environment. After the Nordic Giant, we also went to the Öresund yard with the Maricavor and the Koura. Progress had clearly been made. This is a real success story.”