Trans RINA, Vol 155, Part C1, Intl J Marine Design, Jan - Jun 2013
ONBOARD SHIP MANAGEMENT OVERVIEW SYSTEM - AN INFORMATION SHARING SYSTEM ON BOARD
M Lützhöft, M Lundh and T Porathe, Maritime Human Factors, Chalmers Technical University, Sweden SUMMARY
In response to increased information and communication systems on boards ships, we recognise that communication within the she ship and between ships or ship-shore must be optimised. With fewer crew members on-board coordination is more important and the voyage management can be optimised for demands on for example energy efficiency, safety and on-board resource use and availability (e.g. crew members). A pilot study shows that large interactive surfaces have promise for supporting the coordination of the voyage planning and execution.
1. INTRODUCTION
In the last decades information technology has totally changed the way ships find their way from port to port. Efficiency and effectiveness of sea transportation has a large impact on world economy and not least on the global environment. It is important to reduce fuel emissions by using real-time information on currents and weather systems. Recent technological advances has led to that more and more information and communication technology is added to the bridge and engine room, often with no concern for integration, for the operator, nor the issue of information overload. Today we have a situation in which almost all necessary information is available either on instruments, in publications or on the web, but simple and ergonomic access is not provided. In combination with the challenge of reduced crew numbers the result is that the present systems are not utilized in an optimal way, and cooperation and communication could be supported.
The objective of this project is to cooperate with end-users to design a working environment which makes the best of new technology at the same time as it takes into account the tasks and current ways of working in order to support communication and cooperative work. The main question underlying the present study is: How can we enhance the coordination of joint or overlapping tasks on board, using new technology in the form of a large interactive surface? Figure 1 shows a simplified image of some of the in- and outgoing information, both within ship and for ship-to- shore information exchange.
2. BACKGROUND
The shipping industry is a highly competitive industry which is governed by international as well as national rules and regulations. The shipping industry has over the years been subjected to an increase in governing legislation and adherent
inspections on board. The introduction of
computers has also implied an easier way to communicate with the surrounding world using the internet and e-mail. As this development has proceeded, time spent in front of a computer has steadily increased and the information flow and the demand for accessibility of relevant information escalated (ref KNOWME, {Knudsen, 2009 #960}).
The work in the engine control room and the bridge on board merchant ships has undergone major changes due to the technical
development significantly and the introduction of
computers. The administrative work used to be a minor part of the duties, and a small writing-desk was sufficient (albeit often placed away from the instruments). An overview of the flow of information on board is lacking which leads to duplication of work, an increase
in workload,
misunderstandings and risk of lacking information (Lundh, 2010; M Lützhöft,
2004). 3. TEAMWORK, COOPERATIVE WORK
In complex settings, an activity must be distributed among the members of a team, and a typical example is a bridge team of today. There are several roles within the bridge team, such as planning, navigation, communication and monitoring to name a few central tasks. Similar roles apply to the engine room team, and in both workplaces new technology has been implemented to support complex work and decisions. With this new technology, however, we wish to widen the definition of a team, from the two operational groups on board to an entire ship team, and why not to the distributed team of shipping company, ports, authorities and the multitude of contacts a ship has very day. With new communication technologies, physical and spatial constraints of teams become less relevant, although new challenges (Hinds & Bailey, 2003) are introduced.
Figure 1: Example of input to, and output from, an imagined ship information exchange node.
©2013: The Royal Institution of Naval Architects C-11 This may unnecessarily
contribute to hampering the planning of work and on board activities.
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