The 11th BIMCO Tanker Safety Network meeting focused on “Addressing Distraction at Sea”. Exploring how seafarers manage the growing risks of device use, multi-tasking and mental wellbeing. Participants shared experiences and discussed BIMCO’s new Guidelines for the Management of Distraction Causing Devices (DCD) on board ships. The 11th BIMCO Tanker Safety Network meeting was held online on 16 September 2025, bringing together members from across the tanker sector to exchange knowledge and experience. Chaired on the day by Pranesh Kumar, General Manager and Head of Fleet at Hafnia, the session focused on “Addressing Distraction at Sea,” drawing on the recently published BIMCO Guidelines for the Management of Distraction-Causing Devices (DCD) on board ships. The network also welcomed Madie Sanchez-Nielsen, BIMCO Membership & Training Manager, as the new network lead. Addressing distraction at sea The topic of the day was “Addressing Distraction at Sea”, presented by Ashok Srinivasan, BIMCO Regional Manager & Technical Advisor based in Singapore. Building on recent presentations at Safety at Sea Week Singapore and a webinar by the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH), the discussion provided a comprehensive analysis of distraction-related incidents in shipping. Using real-world case studies, it illustrated how distraction has contributed to serious accidents, including the Scot Carrier collision, the Bunun Queen collision and the Ever Forward grounding. Fatalities, loss of ships and cargo and career-ending consequences for seafarers underline the scale of the issue. The discussion covered: Defining distraction: Seafarers face distraction from both devices and competing operational tasks. Yet, near misses linked to distractions are rarely recorded. Types of distraction: Risks include personal device use by watchkeepers, non-key personnel distracting bridge teams and excessive use of business devices during navigation or engineering duties. Cognitive lim