<![CDATA[Maritime cadets undertaking sea internships are exposed to a range of occupational hazards while developing practical competence and familiarity with shipboard operations. The Safety Management System (SMS) provides a framework for organizing safety procedures, supervision, communication, and emergency preparedness during these training activities. This study examined the implementation of SMS practices in relation to cadet occupational safety during sea internships aboard merchant ships. A mixed-methods approach was employed using an integrated questionnaire that combined closed-ended Likert-scale items and open-ended questions. Data were collected from 229 respondents, comprising 43 cadets, 84 engine department personnel, and 102 deck department personnel. Quantitative responses were analyzed using descriptive statistics, including frequencies, percentages, mean scores, and indicator ranking, while narrative responses to open-ended questions were analyzed thematically to identify recurring safety practices and implementation challenges. Across the assessed SMS dimensions, mean scores ranged from 4.55 to 4.59 on a five-point scale, indicating consistently positive perceptions of SMS implementation. Higher-rated dimensions included supervision, safety culture, ship familiarization, and emergency preparedness, whereas toolbox meetings, pre-work hazard communication, and aspects of personal protective equipment management received comparatively lower ratings. The thematic analysis complemented these patterns by highlighting the importance of structured supervision, safety familiarization, procedural compliance, and communication, while also identifying operational constraints that could affect the consistency of safety practices. The integrated findings therefore indicate convergence between respondents' numerical assessments and narrative accounts, while drawing attention to specific aspects of SMS implementation that require continued monitoring. The study describes perceived SMS implementation and associated safety practices during cadet sea internships and does not establish a causal effect on actual occupational safety outcomes. The findings provide empirical input for strengthening supervision, hazard communication, and safety practices within cadet shipboard training.]]>
