Many INTERTANKO members had approached the association with queries regarding the differences between the courses BRM, MRM and BTM. In INTERTANKO Weekly News No 17 of April 28th 2006, INTERTANKO provided an explanation. By permission of INTERTANKO this text is reproduced below.

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Clarification regarding differences between BRM, MRM and BTM.

 

 

Bridge Resource Management (BRM) is a course that was originally developed from the airline industry’s Crew Resource Management (CRM). Human behaviour and psychological and physiological factors are very much the same in both aviation and shipping and in 1993 the shipping industry’s first BRM course saw the light. The work to convert the CRM training programme to BRM was carried out by Scandinavian Airlines Systems (SAS), the marine insurer The Swedish Club and six other major maritime organisations.

 

The primary target groups for BRM were initially masters, deck officers and pilots. However, since not all accidents originate from the bridge, the course is now often referred to as Maritime Resource Management (MRM) with additional target groups – such as engineers and shore-based personnel.

 

BRM/MRM’s main focus is to change attitudes with the objective of establishing a safer and more efficient teamwork onboard ship. The course aims at creating good team leaders and team members by addressing issues related to leadership, management styles, culture, communication, automation, stress, fatigue, etc. BRM and MRM have an equal status in the syllabus, but some changes have been made in the training courses.

 

MRM is considered to be particularly useful training for all personnel involved with ship operations, such as ships’ officers, engineers, pilots, tug-operators, VTS-personnel and other shore-based staff, because of its updated course contents and terminology.

 

BRM and MRM certificates are considered to have equal status. However, there is also a Bridge Team Management (BTM) certificate which covers different material to the BRM and MRM.

 

BTM has normally a totally different syllabus. The main topics of BTM courses are most often bridge procedures and passage planning. BTM focuses on the importance of complying with existing means of navigation procedures, such as the establishment of a voyage plan, regular position fixes, lookout. Most of the Oil Majors require officers onboard ship to have undergone training courses in the above subjects, and specify this in their Vetting Inspection Questionnaire. So it is important to be familiar with the differences between BRM, MRM and BTM.

 

A certificate is issued after the trainee has passed the actual course, with separate certificates for BRM, MRM or BTM. Some training centres are able to combine a BRM/MRM course with a BTM course.

 

A BRM/MRM course often takes about 3-4 days and may be carried out with our without simulator exercises.

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