Deck Officers’ Preferred Steering Modes and Future Perspectives on Ships’ Navigational Aids
Wahlroos, Sami (2024)
Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2024121535889
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2024121535889
Tiivistelmä
Autopilot systems and bridge navigational aids such as the Electronic Chart Display and Information System (ECDIS) and Automatic Radar Plotting Aids (ARPA) have revolutionized ships bridge operations. This thesis investigates how deck officers use autopilot steering modes—Track, Heading, and Course—and bridge navigational aids. Thesis also examines influences of company policies, captain’s orders, and deck officer experience.
A mixed-methods approach, combining structured interviews with 11 deck officers, revealed key trends: Heading mode was dominant (78%), Track mode was selectively used (18%) in predictable conditions, and Course mode was rarely used (4%) due to limited practicality and rarity of its availability in the bridge systems. External factors, including company policies, shaped mode preferences, with less experienced officers relying more on automation and experienced officers favoring manual control for its adaptability to most situations.
Navigational aids like ECDIS and ARPA were essential for improving situational awareness and assisting in collision avoidance and challenging navigational situations. Features such as Estimated Time of Arrival (ETA) calculators and radar overlays were frequently used. Previous studies expressed concerns about over-reliance on automation and skill degradation, which highlighted challenges in balancing human oversight and automated technology.
The thesis also investigated outlooks on emerging technologies like artificial intelligence (AI) and Maritime Autonomous Surface Ships (MASS). Deck officers emphasized the need for human oversight to reduce risks, especially for passenger vessels. Recommendations include adding manual navigation training, especially for emergency situations and encouraging balanced policies in usage of automation to ensure manual navigational capabilities of deck officers and safety in future maritime operations.
A mixed-methods approach, combining structured interviews with 11 deck officers, revealed key trends: Heading mode was dominant (78%), Track mode was selectively used (18%) in predictable conditions, and Course mode was rarely used (4%) due to limited practicality and rarity of its availability in the bridge systems. External factors, including company policies, shaped mode preferences, with less experienced officers relying more on automation and experienced officers favoring manual control for its adaptability to most situations.
Navigational aids like ECDIS and ARPA were essential for improving situational awareness and assisting in collision avoidance and challenging navigational situations. Features such as Estimated Time of Arrival (ETA) calculators and radar overlays were frequently used. Previous studies expressed concerns about over-reliance on automation and skill degradation, which highlighted challenges in balancing human oversight and automated technology.
The thesis also investigated outlooks on emerging technologies like artificial intelligence (AI) and Maritime Autonomous Surface Ships (MASS). Deck officers emphasized the need for human oversight to reduce risks, especially for passenger vessels. Recommendations include adding manual navigation training, especially for emergency situations and encouraging balanced policies in usage of automation to ensure manual navigational capabilities of deck officers and safety in future maritime operations.