Answer
When a surveyor asks about the "PRIDE system" or "PRIDE principle" in an oral exam, they are testing your knowledge of Human Element, Leadership and Management (HELM) and how you maintain high safety standards in the engine room under the ISM Code.
1. What does the PRIDE Acronym stand for?
To answer the surveyor effectively, break down the acronym into its core operational pillars:
P – Professionalism (or Preparedness)
Engine Room Application: Adhering strictly to standard operating procedures (SOPs), company SMS guidelines, and manufacturer manuals.
Management Action: Conducting thorough Toolbox Meetings before major operations (e.g., entering enclosed spaces, bunkering, or overhauled unit testing) and ensuring all risk assessments and Permits to Work (PTW) are accurately completed—not just treated as paperwork.
R – Respect (and Responsibility)
Engine Room Application: Creating a mutual professional respect across different ranks, departments (Deck vs. Engine), and cultures. Recognizing individual responsibilities within the team.
Management Action: Ensuring strict compliance with MLC rest hours to manage fatigue, listening to safety concerns raised by junior ranks or ratings, and eliminating blame-culture through a "Just Culture" framework.
I – Integrity
Engine Room Application: Doing the right thing even when no one is watching. This is absolutely critical for regulatory compliance.
Management Action: Ensuring honest and accurate logging in the Oil Record Book (ORB Part I). Zero tolerance for manipulating OWS readings, bypassing the 15-ppm monitor, or falsifying parameters in the logbook.
D – Discipline
Engine Room Application: Maintaining high standards of watchkeeping, engine room cleanliness, housekeeping, and tool management.
Management Action: Enforcing the correct use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) at all times and ensuring that alarms or equipment defects are dealt with immediately rather than bypassed or ignored.
E – Excellence (or Evaluation)
Engine Room Application: Striving for optimal machinery efficiency, minimal downtime, and continuous learning.
Management Action: Implementing a loop of continuous feedback. Post-job debriefings (What went well? What can be improved?) to elevate the performance of the engine room team before the next operation.
How to Deliver This Answer in an MMD Oral Exam
If the examiner asks: "What do you understand by the PRIDE system onboard?"
Your structured verbal response:
"Sir, the PRIDE framework is a structured behavioral and safety tool used by senior management onboard to address the Human Element under STCW and the ISM Code. It stands for Professionalism, Respect, Integrity, Discipline, and Excellence.
As a Class 1 Engineer, I utilize this framework to manage my engine room resource team. For example:
I enforce Professionalism and Discipline by demanding strict adherence to checklists, Toolbox Talks, and proper PPE use during critical machinery overhauls.
I ensure Integrity, which means maintaining completely transparent and accurate entries in our Oil Record Book and Engine Room Logbooks, maintaining a strict 'Just Culture'.
Finally, through Respect for rest hours and cultural diversity, we eliminate fatigue and conflict, ultimately driving the team toward operational Excellence and an accident-free engine room."