<p>Safety in maritime transportation is a critical concern due to the significant human, environmental, and economic consequences of accidents. Human error accounts for a substantial portion of marine accidents. However, the concept of resilience and the Safety-II approach offers a new perspective, emphasising the positive contributions of human actions to system resilience. Analysing near-miss incidents, which occur more frequently than collisions but are often underreported, provides valuable insights into system recovery and safety improvements. We aimed to analyse near-miss incidents in ship navigation using the functional resonance analysis method (FRAM) to identify system processes and operator interactions that contributed to recovery and resilience. We examined a near-miss incident involving the Costa Atlantica and Grand Neptune in the Dover Strait Traffic Separation Scheme. FRAM was employed to model functional interactions, analyse variabilities, and evaluate how the system processes disruptions and recovers functionality. The FRAM analysis showed that the navigational process can recover or damage system outcomes when facing a disruption. The recovery function is demonstrated by the function that can transform variability into a better result. GN pilot can demonstrate recovery through their ability to understand risk, maintain a safe distance, and understand system limitations. Enhancing the ability to anticipate, monitor, respond, and learn from disruptions can significantly improve safety outcomes. This study provides a comprehensive understanding of resilience in maritime navigation, offering insights for future safety improvements.</p>