Afbeelding
One of the largest remaining tasks for unmanned or autonomous ships to become a reality is the navigation system. Strides have been made in terms of collision avoidance and route following. However, automating navigation does not mean that nautical personnel is no longer required. Most research assumes that when a ship is sailing with an automated navigation system, it needs to be monitored by an operator in a shore control centres (SCC).
What is the motivation for the project?
Before a wide application of shore control centres is possible, some questions must be answered. Currently, the research and applications are mostly focused on operating one ship. The operator is an experienced seafarer with multiple years of experience in operating the ship type he is controlling. Research into the transferability of their skill as a bridge officer or the requirement of new skills has not been performed on a wide scale.
Another area that remains open for further research is the possibility of controlling or monitoring several ships at the same time. For the investment in this SCC to be profitable, operators are likely required to monitor several ships, located in several locations in different phases of travel. In the MUNIN project, one of the first to do a detailed analysis into the needs of operators in a shore control station, monitoring 6 ships at the same time was suggested. This could possibly ask many more seafarers than is currently required when on duty on the bridge.
What problem is the project solving?
The aim of this project is to investigate the information and skills a shore control centre operator needs to safely perform their job. Currently, the information supplied is based on the information that is available, and information that is currently supplied on the bridge. However, the information that a remote operator would require has not been investigated in detail. Additionally, the change in working conditions might mean that operators require new skills to safely perform their job.
Project Approach
We conducted two experiments to determine the equipment needed by a Remote Operations Center (ROC) operator. In both cases, the experiments were designed and executed by groups of students from the Maritime Institute Willem Barentsz.
In the first set of experiments, experienced seafarers were asked to perform various scenarios in a simulator. Their actions were observed, and they were questioned to gain insight into the equipment they used and what equipment they believed they would need as a remote operator. They were asked to differentiate between information they thought they would always need and information they would like to have access to. These results provide valuable insights into how to prevent information overload for the operator.
The second set of experiments tested whether a Watchkeeping Officer (OOW) could follow the safe operating procedures outlined in the bridge procedures guide (International Chamber of Shipping, 2022). The participants were asked to navigate a simple route on the simulator, encountering some hazards and restricted visibility. They had to complete the route with limited equipment.
Key Findings and Results
1. Information Needs:
For simple scenarios, basic instruments such as radar and displays with essential data are sufficient. More complex situations require additional information and always require visibility to the outside. The experiments confirmed that limited visibility on radar and ECDIS can lead to missing important details.
2. Training Requirements:
A trained Watchkeeping Officer (OOW) should be able to navigate using standard equipment but must also have additional knowledge of digital systems and cybersecurity. These findings align with the DNV standard and indicate the need for targeted training.
3. ROC Design:
The ROC design should offer different modes (basic, high-traffic, maneuvering) for targeted information provision. Operators should be able to add information as needed, without everything being continuously visible.
Who is the project team?
The materials and data in this publication have been obtained through the support of the International Association of Maritime Universities (IAMU) and The Nippon Foundation in Japan.
The project is only small, but several student projects are part of the research. At this point in time a group of MAROF students from Terschelling are working on the building of the model boat. Additionally a group of students from the minor Secure Programming are working on connecting the model boat to a control unit.
