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About HF-Sea Sense

Optimising maritime safety culture through evidence-informed human factors training that addresses the root causes, not just the symptoms.

Our Story

Born from decades at sea and a commitment to preventing avoidable incidents

HF-Sea Sense was founded on a simple but powerful observation: the maritime industry has brilliant technology, rigorous procedures, and dedicated people-yet 80% of incidents still involve human error.

Traditional safety training focuses on compliance and procedures. While important, this approach misses the deeper truth: human error isn't the cause of accidents-it's the symptom of system failures, organisational pressures, and human factors we haven't properly addressed.

Captain Sean Noonan witnessed this firsthand throughout his maritime career. Time and again, he saw good people making understandable mistakes in challenging circumstances. The investigations would identify "human error," implement new procedures, and move on- until the next incident.

The Turning Point

After studying human factors science, organisational psychology, and resilient leadership principles, Captain Noonan realized: we can't eliminate human error, but we can design systems that account for it, create cultures that learn from it, and develop people who understand and manage it.

This insight became HF-Sea Sense. Not another compliance training programme, but a comprehensive approach to understanding and optimising the human element in maritime operations.

Partnering with Resilient Leaders Elements™ and aligning with OCIMF TMSA Element 14, HF-Sea Sense translates academic human factors research into practical, applied learning that seafarers and shore-based teams can immediately use.

Today, HF-Sea Sense serves maritime organisations worldwide, helping them move from reactive safety management to proactive, human-centric operations that achieve maximum safety potential while enhancing wellbeing and operational effectiveness.

Mission & Vision

🎯 Our Mission

To empower maritime professionals with the knowledge, skills, and mindset to understand human performance, prevent incidents, and create psychologically safe, resilient operations where people thrive and safety is a capability, not just compliance.

🔭 Our Vision

A maritime industry where human factors understanding is as fundamental as navigation skills, where organisations reach their maximum safety potential, and where every seafarer returns home safely because systems are designed around human strengths and limitations.

Meet the driving force behind HF-Sea Sense

Captain Sean Noonan - Founder of HF-Sea Sense

Captain Sean Noonan

Founder & Director | Fáiré Innovare Ltd

Captain Sean Noonan brings a unique combination of extensive maritime operational experience and deep expertise in human factors, organisational psychology, and resilient leadership to HF-Sea Sense.

Having spent years at sea and ashore, Captain Noonan understands the real-world challenges maritime professionals face daily. He's seen firsthand how good people can make understandable mistakes when systems aren't designed with human capabilities and limitations in mind.

This experience drove him to study human factors science and develop practical training that goes beyond compliance to create genuine cultural optimisation. His approach bridges the gap between academic research and operational reality, making complex concepts accessible and immediately applicable.

Captain Noonan's philosophy is simple: we can't eliminate human error, but we can create systems that minimize its likelihood and mitigate its consequences. This requires understanding psychology, physiology, team dynamics, and organisational culture-not just procedures.

Credentials & Expertise:

  • Master Mariner Certificate
  • OCIMF TMSA Element 14 Specialist
  • Human Factors & Organisational Psychology
  • Resilient Leaders Elements™ Framework Partnership
  • Maritime Safety Management Systems Expert
  • Incident Investigation & Root Cause Analysis

Our Core Values

The principles that guide everything we do

🧠

Human-Centric

We design systems around people, not the other way around. Understanding human capabilities and limitations is central to everything we teach.

🔬

Evidence-Informed

Our training is grounded in peer-reviewed research, cognitive science, and proven methodologies-not assumptions or outdated practices.

Operationally Relevant

Theory without practice is useless. We translate complex concepts into practical tools seafarers can use immediately in real operations.

🤝

Psychologically Safe

Learning requires vulnerability. We create environments where people can discuss mistakes, ask questions, and grow without fear of blame.

📈

Continuously Improving

We practice what we preach. We constantly refine our approach based on feedback, new research, and participant outcomes.

🌊

Authentically Maritime

Informed by maritime insight. Shaped by cognitive science. We understand the unique challenges of life at sea and design training accordingly.

Our Partnership

HF-Sea Sense is built on the Resilient Leaders Elements™ framework, a comprehensive approach to developing leadership capabilities that foster psychological safety, adaptability, and high-performing teams.

This partnership ensures our training integrates cutting-edge leadership development with human factors science, creating programmes that optimise both individual competence and organisational culture.

The Resilient Leaders Elements™ framework emphasizes resilience-not as bouncing back from adversity, but as the capacity to adapt, learn, and grow stronger through challenges. This perfectly aligns with the maritime reality where uncertainty, complexity, and pressure are constants.

Our Journey

The evolution of HF-Sea Sense

2018

The Seed

Captain Sean Noonan begins formal study of human factors and organisational psychology after witnessing repetitive incidents with similar root causes.

2020

Partnership with Resilient Leaders Elements™

Collaboration begins with Resilient Leaders Elements™, integrating their proven framework with maritime-specific human factors expertise.

April 2025

Programme Development

The four-level HF-Sea Sense framework is created.

September 2025

Beta Testing Course 1

Initial testing phase begins with first cohort of participants.

November 2025

Launch

HF-Sea Sense officially launches, bringing evidence-informed human factors training to the maritime industry.

Ready to Work With Us?

Join maritime leaders worldwide who are optimising their safety culture through evidence-informed human factors training.

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