BIMCO crew survey on the provision of drinking water onboard
We need your help to make a real difference in how drinking water is provided onboard ships. By sharing your experiences and opinions, you can help us learn about the best and worst elements related to the reduction of water provided in single-use plastic (SUP) bottles and transition to onboard drinking water systems. Your insights are crucial in understanding the concerns and challenges faced by crew members when it comes to access to safe drinking water. This survey is your chance to voice your thoughts and contribute to a greener, more sustainable future for our industry where crew well-being is also at the centre. Your input will help improve the provision of drinking water onboard, ensuring it meets your needs and expectations. All questions are designed to be short and simple to answer.
Confidentiality and data protection.
We do not collect any identifying information such as personal details within this survey. However, if you have concerns with privacy, please contact marinesurveys@bimco.org. Your responses are being collected via the Jotform platform, which has its own JotForm Privacy policy and applies to all data handled by JotForm. JotForm is fully compliant with the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).
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Please tell us about the provision of drinking water onboard the ship on which you are currently sailing - or the most recent ship with which you have sailed if you are currently ashore? You will then be asked questions related to your answer.
Drinking water is/was provided by the use of an onboard drinking water system
Drinking water is/was provided in plastic bottles
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Please tell us a little about yourself
A few details will help us determine any patterns.
A1 Please select your country of citizenship from the list below
*
A2 Please select your age
18-24 years old
25-34 years old
35-44 years old
45-54 years old
55-64 years old
65-74 years old
75 years or older
A3 Please tell us in which department you work
Deck/Bridge
Engine
Catering
Other
A4 And please tell us your rank
Officer
Rating
Catering
Mess
Other
A5 Finally please select the name of the ship you are currently sailing on or the most recent ship on which you have sailed?
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General questions about the onboard systems
The following will lead you through some questions about your feelings on the water supplied by the drinking water system(s) onboard.
B1 What did you think when you heard that your drinking water was being provided via an onboard drinking system?
Very Positive
Positive
Neutral
Negative
Very Negative
B2 Did you/do you have any concerns about the provision of water from an onboard system?
Yes, many concerns
Yes, a few concerns
No concerns
B3 What were/are your concerns with drinking water provided from the onboard system? Select all which apply.
Unpleasant tasting water
Convenience ie how quick and easy it would be to get water when needed
Reliability of the system
Maintenance and cleanliness
Health concerns
Other
B3a Please tell us what specific health concerns you were/are worried about?
B4 Safety: How confident were you/are you in the safety of the water you are/were drinking?
Very confident
Somewhat confident
Neutral
Not that confident
No confidence at all
B5 Quality: How would you rate the quality of the drinking water provided via the onboard system?
Excellent
Good
Fair
Poor
B6 Taste: and how does it taste?
It is very good
It is pretty good
It is fine
It is not very nice
It is really bad
B7 Are you happy with the maintenance of the system?
Yes
No
Don't know how it is maintained
B7a Why not?
B8 Are you happy with the way you can access testing results and details on maintenance?
Yes
No
B8a What do you think could be improved?
B9 Environmental Impact: Compared to other ships you have been on have you noticed a change to the waste generated onboard because of the drinking water system?
We have less waste
We have more waste
We have the same waste
Don't know
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How were you introduced to the onboard systems?
We'd like to ask you a little about the communication and information you have been provided related to the drinking water onboard and how this has affected your experience
C1 Timings: As far as you are aware - what process was followed by the shipowner/manager when moving away from using bottles to onboard systems?
All bottles were removed almost immediately after the installation of system(s)
Gradual phase out of bottles
Bottles are still available but need to be paid for
Both a system and free drinking water in bottles are available.
Don't know
C1a How long (approximately) was it before drinking water was no longer available in bottles?
Less than 3 months
3 months to less than 6 months
6 months to less than 9 months
9 months to less than 12 months
More than 1 year
C2 Supporting the change: What was provided related to drinking water from onboard systems and how useful did you find each one? 1 is not at all useful - 5 is extremely useful.
1
2
3
4
5
Not provided
Training
Details on maintenance
Clear display of test results
Pamphlets and posters
Blind tastings
Briefings from senior management/officers
Communication from health professionals
Provision of refillable water bottles
C3 Was anything else provided that you found useful?
You can leave blank if nothing!
C4 Environmental Impact: How does drinking water from an onboard system make you feel with regards to protecting the environment?
I feel it makes a significant difference to sustainability
I think it makes a difference as is a step towards sustainability
I am indifferent to its impact on sustainability
I think it only has a limited impact on sustainability
I don't think it contributes to sustainability at all
C5 How many places onboard are/were there to access drinking water produced by the onboard system? Please count the system(s) itself plus additional dispensers.
Please Select
1
2
3
4
5
More than 5
C6 Where onboard are/were the systems located?
Crew Mess
Galley
Recreation space
Bridge
Deck
Engine room
Other
C7 Access: How easily accessible is/was the drinking water on board compared to where you spend most of your time?
Always accessible
Usually accessible
Sometimes acessible
Rarely accessible
Never accessible
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Your involvement
Here we ask some short questions about whether you are or have been involved in the decision-making process or the installation and maintenance of the systems.
D1 Involvement: Did you have any say or involvement in the move from plastic bottles to onboard systems on any ships you have sailed upon?
Yes
No
D1a Please could you describe how you were involved?
D2 Installation: Have you been involved in the installation of any of the drinking water systems on board?
Yes – I had main responsibility for the installation
Yes – I assisted in the installation of the system
No- but other members of crew were involved
No- An eexternal contractor/the supplier carried out the installation
D2a Installation: How easy was the system installation?
Very Easy
Easy
Neutral
Difficult
Very Difficult
D3 Maintenance: Are you involved in the maintenance of the onboard system(s)?
Yes
No
D3a Maintenance: How easy is maintenance of the system?
Very Easy
Easy
Neutral
Difficult
Very Difficult
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Satisfaction with the drinking water onboard
This final section will ask you some questions about how satisfied you are with the water onboard
E1 Experience: How has your actual experience with the onboard water system been compared to your initial expectations?
Much better
Better
About the same
Worse
Much worse
E2 Comparison: How does the drinking water on board compare to the drinking water you have access to at home?
Better on board
Same
Worse on board
E3 Comparison: Do you think you drink less or more water as a result of water being provided by an onboard system compared to in plastic bottles?
More
Same
Less
E4 Satisfaction: In general - how satisfied would you say you are/were with the water provided by the onboard system?
Very satisfied
Quite satisfied
Neutral
Somewhat dissatisfied
Very dissatisfied
E5 Preferences: Taken everything into consideration do you now prefer bottled water or water provided via an onboard system?
Still prefer bottled water
Prefer water via onboard system
Don't have a preference
E5a Why do you prefer drinking from bottles?
E5b Why do you prefer the onboard system?
E6 Anything else: Is there anything else you'd like to tell us? Positives, negatives, improvements?
Don't worry if you have nothing else to add!
I am ready to submit my answers!
*
Yes- take me to the submission page
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Please tell us a little about yourself
Some personal information helps us to determine any patterns
Q1 Please select your country of citizenship from the list below
*
Q2 Please select your age
18-24 years old
25-34 years old
35-44 years old
45-54 years old
55-64 years old
65-74 years old
75 years or older
Q3 Please tell us in which department you work
Deck/Bridge
Engine
Catering
Other
Q4 And please tell us your rank
Officer
Rating
Catering
Mess
Other
Q5 Finally please select the name of the ship you are currently sailing on or the most recent ship on which you have sailed?
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Thoughts about water from onboard systems
This section will ask you a series of questions about your thoughts on drinking water provided via an advanced drinking water system onboard the ship
Q6 Your drinking habits: How many bottles of water would you personally normally use onboard each day? (Please include the approximate number of each size- don't worry if you don't know the exact sizes)
0
1
2
3
4
5
more than 5
355ml (12 US fl oz)
500ml
591 ml (20 US fl oz)
710 ml (24 US fl oz)
1l
1.5l
Q7 Initial Thoughts: What are your initial thoughts on potentially switching from bottled drinking water to having water supplied from an onboard water system?
Very Positive
Positive
Neutral - neither positive or negative
Negative
Very Negative
Q8 Concerns: What concerns, if any, do you have water from an onboard system? Select all that apply.·
Taste and quality of water
Access and availability
Reliability of the system
Maintenance and cleanliness
Health concerns
Other
Q8a Please let us know what health issues you are worried about
Q9 Health and Safety: How confident would you be when drinking water from an onboard system that it is safe and of good quality?
Very confident
Confident
Neutral
Not very confident
Extremely worried
I don't know enough to make an assessment
Q10 Benefits: Do you see any benefits to the provision of water via an onboard system? Select any that apply
Reduced environmental impact
Cost savings
Space savings
Less waste to manage
Convenience
Health benefits
Other
Q11 Experience with Bottled Water: How would you rate your current satisfaction with bottled drinking water on board?
Very satisfied
Satisfied
Neutral
Dissatisfied
Very dissatisfied
Q12 Environmental Impact: How does potentially drinking water from an onboard system make you feel with regards to protecting the environment?
I feel it would make a significant difference to sustainability
I think it would make a difference as is a step towards sustainability
I am indifferent to its impact on sustainability
I think it would only have a limited impact on sustainability
I don't think it would contribute to sustainability at all
Q13 Environmental Impact: How important is reducing plastic waste and impact on the environment to you?
Very important
Important
Neutral
Not important
Not important at all
Q14 Accessibility: How worried are you about the accessibility and convenience of drinking water if the switch to an onboard system is made?
Very worried
Slightly worried
Neutral
Not really worried
Not worried at all
Q15 Training and Information: How important is it to you to receive training or information about the onboard water system if the switch is made?
Very important
Important
Neutral
Not that important
Not important at all
Q16 What can be done: Which of the following would improve your confidence or acceptance in the onboard water system? Select all that apply.
Training
Feedback from other crew members on the positive aspects of the system
System provided by a supplier I already have confidence in – ie well known in my home country
Details on maintenance
Clear display of testing results
Frequent testing by an independent laboratory
Pamphlets and posters
Blind tastings
Briefings from senior management/officers
Communication from medical professionals
Provision of refillable water bottles
I would only accept the water if it was mandated and no other option would be available
Nothing is going to improve my confidence
Other
Q17 Suggestion: Do you have any suggestions or recommendations to ensure a smooth transition to an onboard water system?
Q18 Comparison: How do you expect the drinking experience (taste, quality) of water from an onboard water system to compare with bottled water?
Much better
Better
About the same
Worse
Much worse
Q19 Support: If all your concerns were addressed would you support a change from water in bottles to water provided by an onboard system?
Yes
No
Q20 Please add anything else you feel is important
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