ALERT 15 — AUTOMATION

When you look at our business, there are one or two things that are absolutely clear. It is a business responsible for over ninety percent of the world commerce, a business operated by skilled professional people; it is also clear that it is a business experiencing rapid changes, massive technological advances, including automation.

But when we look at the impact automation has on the ship's personnel, the people who actually make the business work, the things may not be so clear, and that is something we will be looking at in the present issue of Alert. If you are familiar with this series, you will know that Alert is the forum for discussing the many human element issues in the maritime industry and it features contributions from maritime professionals around the world. So, what about automation?... Well, it should make life easier for the seafarer, and it should make operations safer.

But what happens if the automated system is not fit for purpose, what happens if it is not set-up correctly and properly maintained? This could result in huge losses after ship's grounding, ships delaying due to the engine failure, record insurance call follows high risk year... At sea, operators of equipment and systems need to be constantly aware of anything not being exactly alright. This short video is intended to supplement the relevant Alert booklet.