This paper explores the safety culture aboard vessels trading in the Baltic Sea. The common denominator for vessels trading in the Baltic Sea is frequent port visits, coastal voyages, voyages in dense trafficked areas and small crews. In a safety culture values, attitudes, competence and behavioral patterns are four important factors. The maritime safety management system aims towards a proactive and evolutionally safety culture. This study has an ethnographic perspective and totally eleven vessels participated in the study. Collected data has been analysed through a model and the study reveals that there is a need to discuss and change the safety culture, in large as on the single vessel in shipping today. As well as a need for further studies of how the safety culture can be improved and a need for education aimed towards system thinking, organizational theory and safety culture. The study was funded by the Swedish Mercantile Marine Foundation.