SIRE 2.0 Readiness: Why it matters for every fleet

The maritime industry is undergoing a fundamental shift in the regulatory environment, and SIRE 2.0 is a strong signal to everyone in the sector of what’s coming next. While it currently applies to tankers –many in the industry expect similar standards to appear across other vessel types, which means all operators need to be aware of the changes and consider how they will respond if they want to be ahead of the curve.

Under the new regulation, by the Oil Companies International Marine Forum (OCIMF), and in the face of increasing environmental scrutiny across global jurisdictions, tanker operators are facing a triple imperative: 

• Optimise human performance in a demonstrable way
• Ensure trackable collaboration between ship and shore
• Incorporate regulatory change in real-time.

SIRE 2.0 moves away from one-off checks. It's about continuous, data-driven excellence and higher performing people who can show they have real understanding of what’s required.

As was the norm in the maritime sector, traditional SIRE inspections were snap shots focused on technical systems and certifications. Today, SIRE 2.0 brings a deeper, more dynamic approach. When it comes to the crew, inspectors now evaluate real-world behaviour, using a framework of nine human Performance Influencing Factors or PIF’s to assess competences such as communication, teamwork, and situational awareness.

"Before, the focus was on documents and equipment," says Andrew Easdown from Ocean Technologies Group, a veteran of both training and inspection systems. "Now it’s about whether an individual or a team functions well and knows how to respond in real-world scenarios."

For example, an officer on the bridge might be asked to walk through a passage plan. If the execution is technically correct but the explanation is poor, it raises questions about the officer’s true competence. “It’s not just what you do—it’s how you do it, and whether the whole team understands it,” Andrew explains.

This pivot reflects broader regulatory trends: placing human factors at the heart of maritime safety and environmental compliance.

One of the key areas of change is the greater use of digital tools both to carry out inspections and to continuously demonstrate compliance. Inspectors will use tablets and sophisticated technology (such as drones for difficult-to-access areas) to carry out detailed onboard or even remote inspections, while those operating ships will need to demonstrate that they are totally across any regulatory breaches and acting on the information.

John Butler is the SVP of ISF Watchkeeper, a compliance software jointly owned by LR OneOcean and the International Chamber of Shipping (ICS), designed to track and manage crew work and rest hours. He says in the past operators could treat compliance as a box ticking exercise rather than a meaningful part of operations. SIRE 2.0 cracks down much more and so could be a turning point in the move towards digitalised crew and vessel management as continual reporting becomes the norm.

“In the past, non-conformities could be recorded and reported using tools like ISF Watchkeeper, but there wasn’t always a clear requirement for the shore team to respond. SIRE 2.0 changes that by introducing a formal acknowledgement process between ship and shore. Office-based staff now need to review and confirm non-conformities, creating a clear record of whether action was taken—and when. It’s a shift toward more active, accountable compliance management.”

SIRE 2.0 goes further. It also encourages the use of data to support ongoing improvement. By creating structured, standardised and comparable data, it enables operators to gain insight from the inspections, act on these, and compare inspection scoring over time to see if there has been improvement.

Doing this in the context of a digitally-enabled fleet can have real benefits for forward-thinking operators, who can see this as valuable data to help them get better. The LR OneOcean/Ocean Technologies Group (OTG) team have geared up to ensure their suite of services provide the basis for this work.

This new landscape demands a digital-first approach. As Andrew Easdown, Maritime Consultant at OTG, says, "It's no longer a snapshot world—and digital is the only way to comply."

At the same time crew members and those onshore need to be fully prepared and continually trained for the tougher inspection regime.

This is where ISF Watchkeeper and the OTG suite of training services come into play.

1. Two-Way Synchronisation With ISF Watchkeeper, ship and shore teams are now connected through real-time data sync. Compliance updates, non-conformities, and operational changes are instantly visible across the fleet—allowing for proactive risk management and planning, as well as providing a data trail for any subsequent inspections.
   
   
2. Vessel Event Cross-Check Inspectors assess whether crew working hours align with vessel operations. ISF Watchkeeper enables cross-referencing between crew logs and ship events, helping to demonstrate compliance with rest hour rules—one of the core checks under SIRE 2.0.
   
   
3. Non-Conformity Acknowledgement This feature ensures that both crew and shore staff can acknowledge, respond to, and act on compliance issues. It promotes transparency, accountability, and quicker resolution of potential problems.
   
   
4.  Human Factor Readiness Beyond technology, OTG’s training and tools support seafarers through on-the-ground inspection preparation, digital learning modules, and competency management systems. These processes track development, support promotion readiness, and ensure that all personnel—not just those nearing inspection—meet competency benchmarks continuously. They also ensure the information onboard matches that onshore.

With the higher bar set by SIRE 2.0, crews need to be trained and evaluated before an inspector arrives. Andrew Easdown says proper preparation is essential and straightforward.

“In SIRE 2.0, OCIMF has released comprehensive and detailed information about each of the questions they will ask and the expected answers. In other words, we can be sure of the correct response.

So our training solutions simulate the inspection. We ask people to practice speaking the answers out loud, making the onboard officer role-play the inspector and in this way confirm they are able to demonstrate the required capability.”

“The first time a crew member responds to a SIRE 2.0 question shouldn’t be during an inspection,” Andrew says. “With digital systems, you can prepare, assess, and sign off crew consistently—and flag where help is needed.”

As LR OneOcean and OTG integrate their individual services onto a combined platform, it will become even easier for those running fleets to both comply and ensure they are demonstrating best practice.

John Butler gives this example:

“Our analytical data can highlight where certain roles—like engineers—are seeing more compliance issues compared to industry averages. That insight can help identify areas where further training might be valuable. Looking ahead, we want to connect those insights directly to relevant learning resources, so operators can take action faster and more effectively.”

SIRE 2.0 is becoming the benchmark for safety culture, not just for tankers, but for the entire maritime industry. John Butler says the future of compliance is about connecting the dots: between people, technology, and regulation.

Whether it’s human performance under SIRE 2.0, environmental compliance in international waters, or digital inspections and remote vetting, the message is clear: you can’t afford to be reactive anymore.

The endgame of SIRE 2.0 is not just a better inspection, but a smarter, safer shipping industry.

This isn’t just about passing inspections. It’s about building a reputation for excellence—the kind that puts your company top-of-mind with charterers, regulators, and clients alike. For operators not yet fully digitalised in the way they manage their vessels and people, complying with this new type of regulation may prove more challenging.

“SIRE 2.0 provides the role model,” Andrew Easdown says. “The rest of the industry should wake up—and follow.”