First Master Mariner to Earn a Doctorate at the Faculty of Maritime Studies Kotor under the Bologna Process
On Wednesday, 26 November, a public defence of the doctoral dissertation titled “Enhancing Navigational Safety through the Application of Decision-Making Models on the Bridge” was held in the amphitheatre of the Faculty of Maritime Studies Kotor. The dissertation was successfully defended by doctoral candidate Igor Petrović, a Master Mariner with extensive experience at sea and in the maritime industry, marking an important milestone for the Faculty, which has gained another Doctor of Science from the highest ranks of shipboard officers after a long period.
The Dissertation Evaluation Committee consisted of:
Assoc. Prof. Dr Stevan Kordić, Faculty of Maritime Studies Kotor, University of Montenegro – Chair
Prof. Dr Rino Bošnjak, Faculty of Maritime Studies, University of Split
Prof. Dr Srđan Vujičić, Faculty of Maritime Studies, University of Dubrovnik – Supervisor
The ceremony was attended by professors, associates, staff and students of the Faculty, numerous seafarers, representatives of maritime organisations and agencies, family members and other guests.
In his opening remarks, the Committee Chair, Dr Kordić, presented the candidate’s biography and briefly outlined the scope of the research. The candidate then delivered a comprehensive presentation in which he introduced the concept, methodology and key findings of the dissertation.
The research is based on the fundamental premise that the decision-making process on the bridge is a central element of navigational safety, especially today, when digitalisation and automation are increasingly advancing. Nevertheless, the human operator, in this case the Officer of the Watch (OOW), remains the key actor responsible for critical assessments and responses.
The dissertation integrates a navigational simulator, eye-tracking technology (ETT), structured interviews, questionnaires and Bayesian modelling to assess the likelihood of making an appropriate decision in different bridge scenarios. The conclusions lead to practical recommendations for maritime education institutions and shipping companies, especially in the areas of training, debriefing, and limiting parallel tasks during critical phases of navigation.
Confirming that all formal requirements had been met and acknowledging the successful defence, the Committee emphasised that the dissertation represents an original scientific contribution by offering a model that integrates state-of-the-art simulators, ETT and Bayesian networks to improve decision-making procedures on the bridge. The results are clearly presented, methodologically sound and directly applicable in practice.
At the end of the defence, the candidate expressed gratitude to his supervisor, Prof. Dr Vujičić, as well as to his family, colleagues, fellow seafarers and all others who contributed to the development of this complex dissertation.
Congratulations were extended not only to Candidate Petrović, but also to the Faculty of Maritime Studies Kotor, which now welcomes a Master Mariner holding a doctoral degree into its academic ranks, thus formalising an important union of extensive practical expertise and academic achievement.