Automation and human integration onboard ships

An integrated monitoring and control system become a "must have onboard" today to ensure that the right actions are taken or initiated every time. Automation can be beneficial to operators of complex systems in terms of a reduction in workload or the release of resources to perform other onboard duties. Nevertheless, they have also been identified as a potentially significant contributory factor in accidents and incidents at sea. This paper underlined particular issues in design, selection, installation, use, maintenance, and updating or modification of automated systems which can present problems. A range of guidance points were raised for those involved in selecting or using automated systems onboard ships, in particular shore-based company management and seafarers using automated systems.