BACKGROUND: Fatigue seriously reduces the sensory sensitivity and operational efficiency ofmariners, which is a major safety threat to ship navigation. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between resilience and fatigue and to explore the chain-mediated role of coping style and psychological stress among mariners during ocean voyages. METHODS: Using Connor-Davidson resilience scale, simplified coping style questionnaire, psychological stress self-evaluation test and multidimensional fatigue inventory, a questionnaire survey was conducted on 510 mariners from a Shandong fleet who finished a 32-day ocean voyage on September 12, 2023. SPSS 26.0 was employed to perform correlation analysis, while Amos 21.0 was applied to establish structural equation model and demonstrate the mediator effects. RESULTS: Daily working hours, negative coping style and psychological stress were positively correlated with fatigue, while resilience was negatively related to fatigue (all P <
0.01). The structural equation indicated that the 4 paths of "resilience → fatigue", "resilience → psychological stress → fatigue", "resilience → positive coping → psychological stress → fatigue" and "resilience → negative coping → psychological stress → fatigue" occupied 68.72%, 11.45%, 9.99% and 9.84% of the total effect, respectively (all P <
0.05), suggesting the validity of hypothesis. CONCLUSION: Resilience exerts significant direct and indirect effects on fatigue of mariners during ocean voyages. In addition, coping style and psychological stress partially and serially mediate the relation between resilience and fatigue. The results have significant implications for the intervention and prevention of fatigue, providing additional evidence for the relationship between resilience and fatigue among mariners during ocean voyages.