The promotion of a safety culture based on a pro-active approach - as opposed to a reactive one - is considered essential to improve safety in maritime transport. The International Maritime Organisation (IMO) has followed that approach with the adoption of the International Safety Management Code and the use of Formal Safety Assessment (FSA) techniques in the development of new rules and regulations.

Safety concerns regarding sea and offshore ship operations in Europe have triggered the need for a common understanding at a European level of the underpinning risks and how best to assess those risks. In particular, impacts of marine operations on the environment have become a focal point of safety-related considerations. To meet these demands, it was necessary to gather representatives and experts from the Member States, as well as from relevant European and international shipping organisations, in order to reach a common approach to safety and environmental assessment.