Collaboration and self-organization are hallmarks of many biological systems. We present the design for an intelligent decision support system that employs these characteristics: it works through a collaborative, self-organizing network of intelligent agents. Developed for the realm of Marine Safety and Security, the goal of the system is to assist in the management of a complex array of resources in both a routine and emergency role. Notably, this system must be able to handle a dynamic environment and the existence of uncertainty. The decentralized control structure of a collaborative self-organizing system reinforces its adaptiveness, robustness and scalability in critical situations.