The Role of Digital Tools in Streamlining Marine Radio Inspections — MSc Applied Project (Public Version)

Marine radio inspections under SOLAS/GMDSS are essential for ship safety, but many steps remain manual and paper‑based. This project examines how digital tools—such as tablet checklists, multi‑function radio testers with automatic logging, and remote/tele‑inspection workflows—can make inspections faster, more consistent, and easier to audit. Using a mixed‑methods design, the study combined an online survey of marine radio‑inspection stakeholders with follow‑up interviews to explain the survey trends. Respondents reported broad and growing use of digital tools (around seven in ten), with benefits including shorter inspection time, fewer transcription errors, and better tracking of corrective actions. The main barriers were training and digital skills gaps, resistance to changing established routines, cost/connectivity constraints, and questions about regulatory acceptance of purely electronic records. The report offers practical recommendations: user‑centred tool design, targeted training, change‑management steps, and policy support for digital records and remote techniques. Overall, it shows how digitalisation can raise efficiency and safety without lowering the rigour of marine radio surveys.