The Potential of Maritime-Scientific Numeracy Tasks for Developing Key Competencies of Seafarers

The digital transformation of the maritime sector creates an urgent need for seafarers to master advanced cognitive skills (reasoning, problem solving, critical thinking, data processing, and STEM application). This study examines whether numeracy tasks grounded in maritime scientific contexts can elicit those key competencies. Motivated by gaps in current MET curricula and the close link between numeracy and seafaring decision-making, we developed six tasks across four subcontexts (navigation, marine engineering, oceanography, maritime economics). Two domain experts rated each item using a competency-based rubric; data were analyzed with descriptive statistics (means, SD) and inter-rater reliability (ICC), complemented by general student feedback. Overall, findings indicate that the developed numeracy tasks successfully elicited key seafarer competencies, as evidenced primarily by expert evaluations and supported by general student perspectives. Specifically, STEM Knowledge & Application and Information & Data Processing were consistently and strongly elicited, while Problem & Conflict Solving showed moderate potential. Reasoning & Decision Making and Critical Thinking produced inconsistent expert agreement (low ICC), indicating rubric ambiguity and assessor variability. We recommend integrating maritime-scientific numeracy tasks, particularly data- and STEM-rich items, into MET mathematics curricula, along with rater-calibration sessions and expansion of rater and sample pools to improve reliability and validity. Overall, maritime-context numeracy tasks are promising dual-purpose instruments for both assessment and learning in competency-based maritime education.