Safety measures for passenger ferry services: A case study of Tioman Island, Malaysia

Abstract

The Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency’s (MMEA) perspective on the significance of safety measures for passenger ferry services in Tioman Island is the focus of this study. The MMEA is responsible for enforcing maritime legislation and organizing Search and Rescue (SAR) operations in the Malaysia Maritime Zone. The originality of this study lies in its application of a perceptive measurement-individual attribute technique to identify key safety measures and dimensions for passenger ferry services. The study examines six safety measures elements: safety and rescue equipment, ship structure, shipping documentation, navigation and communication equipment, safety instruction for passenger, and ability of ferry employees to respond to emergencies. Data collection was conducted using simple random sampling techniques, with responses from 130 MMEA personnel. Descriptive analysis was then performed to determine the perceived importance of 25 safety measure items. The findings indicate that firefighting facilities, with a mean score of 4.91, were considered the most important safety item, while medical equipment, with a mean score of 4.16, was ranked the least important. These results provide ferry operators with a deeper understanding of critical safety features, enabling them to prioritize safety, reduce incidents, and protect the marine environment. This study contributes to underrepresented research on passenger ferry safety and has the potential to improve safety management in other modes of transportation. The safety evaluation criteria and dimensions can serve as safety performance indicators, improving both safety assessment and safety management practices.