Bridge teams in the doghouse

摘要

Reaction to a comment piece in IHS Maritime Fairplay that looked at the concept of unmanned ships has been insightful. Social media correspondence focused on four areas of real concern: threat of pirates, loss of jobs, vulnerability to breakdown in communications, and navigational safety. Although it is unlikely that ships will operate without seafarers onboard in the next 10 or 15 years, the growth of technological complexity in the maritime sector has been swift: only the brave or foolhardy would cling to the belief that nothing will change. Aircraft engine performance is now being monitored remotely through the transfer of huge quantities of data between machines. A similar flow of maritime information will drive a change in engine room procedures, leading to pressure on companies to reduce the number of engineers on board.