The Future of Work at Sea: Designing Human-Machine Interfaces for Autonomous Vessels

Introduction

The concept of autonomous, remote, and unmanned vessels is rapidly growing in the maritime industry. In a number of cases, watchkeeping activities are being migrated to shore stations. Human-machine interfaces are being developed to allow watchkeeping to take place remotely and enable operators to control the vessel and communicate with it from anywhere in the world. With automation becoming more popular, this report shall explore the different types of autonomous vessels and try to understand precisely what is meant by the term autonomous and whether human interaction and the use of HMIs are required on all emerging types of vessels. With that, there are causes of concern about whether the industry is equipped for the new wave of the modern seafarer and if enough is being done to ensure that the qualifications and requirements for controllers are in place and there is enough qualified personnel to take on this responsibility.

What are Human Machine Interfaces?

A Human Machine Interface (HMI) is a user interface or dashboard that connects a person to a machine, system or device and can technically be applied to any screen that allows interaction with a device. An HMI System will provide the controls that a user can use to operate machines, systems or instruments, which could encompass everything from the ship’s power systems to the bridge and navigation systems, and allow the user to perform control functions and receive feedback on those actions.

HMI systems can be incorporated onboard a vessel in many ways, including alarm and status signals from power, propulsion, stabilisers and surveillance, communications and navigational functions from external and internal cockpits, engine room controls, power distribution, lighting and alarm systems, as well as peripheral systems such as winches. The panel of an HMI, which can be physical or digital, allows the operator to view and control aspects of the vessel, such as oil feeds, pressure and temperature gauges, emergency stops, joysticks, etc. Though HMIs have existed onboard ships for many years, modern systems can be set up to allow the controller to operate the ship from a remote location. The use of autonomous shipping technology is growing in recent years and the need and functionality of HMIs are high.

How will new technologies affect how seafarers will work in the future?

In the maritime industry, there is a spectrum of changes that are coming in areas such as artificial intelligence, robotics, automation and connected devices, the testing of automated and remote ships is increasing, and more MASS are being launched and tested each year meaning the need for seafarers to work in their traditional roles could be significantly reduced.

HMIs are designed to be controlled by a user to communicate with a vessel overseeing a voyage and reviewing the overall operations and performance of the vessel. A standard merchant vessel is generally operated with an average crew of around 20, but remotely operated vessels could require no crew onboard, with many technology companies working to make this possible.

For example, MacGregor has developed a mooring solution that will enable the world’s first automated container ship, Yara Birkeland, to undertake mooring operations without human intervention. The system is based on a seven-axis robotic arm that takes the mooring ropes with loops and wraps them around the bollards on the dock. Once the vessel is positioned against the quay, it will inform the robotic arm where each bollard is located, and the control system automatically generates the track planning. Once in place, the load-controlled winches will hold the vessel in the correct position against the quay.

Furthermore, MacGregor has also introduced a new software application that will facilitate breakbulk cargo stowage, the first automated, cloud-based application directed at optimising stowage plans for breakbulk and general cargo. 

As a result of technologies such as the above, the future role of a watchkeeper may not necessarily be about steering the ship but rather about controlling the systems that drive the ship, whether onboard or remotely. Autonomous vessels and the controls that operate them are more likely to alter jobs than eliminate them for higher-skilled jobs. It could be that an officer will still be able to perform their duties, but rather than being onboard, it is in a remote control station instead.

Lower-skilled jobs, intensive on physical activities, are the jobs most at risk as they are impacted by automation. However, the introduction of automation may create a demand for new jobs, such as remote operators, worldwide operating maintenance crews and mobility service providers. According to the ICS/BIMCO report, the world economy and the merchant fleet are expected to gown in the next ten years, and the demand for officers will increase by 10% every five years. Even with automation on the scene, the need for higher-qualified officers will continue to outstrip the supply.

Are new technologies designed for autonomous or remote-controlled vessels in the future?

When considering the involvement of HMIs in the future of shipping, it is important to understand the development of autonomous vessels. The International Maritime Organization (IMO) defines MASS as a ship which, to a varying degree, can operate independently of human interaction. Additionally, the IMO highlighted that there are four levels of autonomous shipping, which include;

1. Level 1, Manned Shipped: these are traditionally crewed vessels with a human operator making the decisions
2. Level 2, Remote ships: these are controlled by human operators ashore
3. Level 3, Automated ships: These are running pre-programmed software that can only operate the scope of the algorithm 
4. Level 4, Fully autonomous ships: an operating system that can calculate consequences and risks and make decisions themselves. 

The four different levels of autonomous shipping all level to various degrees, where the use of an HMI will always be needed. For example, Level one, maybe when the OOW sets the vessel’s autopilot to steer a particular course although the vessel. Even though the ship is manned, the operator, in this case, the OOW, has set the controls so the ship will automatically sail on that heading until told otherwise by the operator. HMI are already in use onboard vessels and have been for decades. 

However, the industry is changing due to technical advances, with vessels at level two and above becoming viable. In 2017 the Svitzer Hermod, the world’s first remotely operated commercial vessel, was launched in Copenhagen harbour. The vessel, the project designed by Rolls-Royce and Svitzer, launched a 28-meter tugboat in Copenhagen harbour while controlled by a Captain ashore. The Captain controlling the vessel was capable of berthing the vessel, undocking it, turning 360 degrees and piloting it back to the Svitzer headquarters before docking it again. This aimed to create a future-proof standard control of vessels remotely. The key to ensuring the vessel could be remotely operated was that it was equipped with a dynamic positioning system from Rolls-Royce. The vessel also featured sensors that combined different data inputs using advanced software to give the captain an understanding of the vessel and its surroundings. 

Wartsila successfully completed testing remote control ship operations called Smart Marine. The new technology uses DP and a manual joystick. It was installed on the Highland Chieftain, a platform supply vessel from Gulfmark Offshore. A team could remotely control the vessel from their navigation centre based in San Diego, California. The Head of Digital at Wartsila, Andrea Morgante stated;

“One of the first and most critical hurdles to overcome along the path to the enablement of intelligent shipping is to develop efficient and reliable remote control and monitoring capabilities, taking factors such as bandwidth limitations and cyber security into consideration. This test provides a clear indication that we are well on the way to achieving this. The fact that the ship was enabled for remote operation in only a few hours is a strong endorsement of Wärtsilä’s position at the forefront of marine technology development. At Wärtsilä, we are fully engaged in developing ‘intelligent’ vessels since we consider such technologies to be vital to maintaining a profitable future for our customers.”

When looking at levels 3 and 4 of automated ships, which were designed to sail without human interaction. The maritime research vessel, the Mayflower, was designed to be the world’s first automated ship and was due to set sail on a 12-day voyage through the Atlantic as part of a project led by the marine research organisation ProMare in cooperation with the IMB. The ship is equipped with six AI-powered cameras, 30 onboard sensors and 15 edge devices that send data from the voyage back to the team onshore via satellite connections.  The Yara Birkeland is also being developed to be the world’s first fully electric and autonomous container ship with zero emissions. The vessel is currently sailing as a manned vessel, with a plan to move to remote and eventually fully autonomous operations in the coming years.

Although level 3 and 4 vessels are designed to function without the interactions of humans, the need for operators in control centres to monitor the vessel’s movements will remain. In the event of an emergency, although the vessel may be capable of resolving it by itself, the need for human intervention will still be necessary.

How is the industry approaching the design interface between seafarers and technology?

Maritime Education and Training (MET) is the educational system that aims to provide qualified personnel, mainly seafarers for merchant vessels and specialised staff for all related naval industries. The European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA) has been working to support the trials of unmanned vessels. It will involve all discussions and changes related to current academic sectors including the direct application of artificial intelligence, development of new communication and data transmission systems, optimising of sensors and control of ship routing. 

Operators need to be trained on how the controls are used and perform the tasks in remote control centres (RCCs). The current maritime conventions and national regulations are silent on such centres’ functional and operational requirements. However, this needs to be addressed urgently, as MASS is growing quickly. National guidelines on this matter should be in place. Similarly, there is a legal vacuum concerning the requirements, conventions and national regulations for the laydown of the qualifications and training for the personnel operating in such centres. It would be expected that those controlling the vessels from the RCCs would have a good understanding of navigational matters. They are most likely to be former seafarers but are not likely to go on board. Therefore, they may be expected to possess relevant qualifications, such as a certificate of competency. But further qualifications and knowledge of the appropriate computer and communication systems will also be required, how to deal with an emergency within the RCC and how to respond to emergency conditions onboard the vessel in respect of a maritime search and rescue request.

Overall, to create a new wave of modern-day seafarers, more regulations, training and standards need to be agreed upon to ensure that the industry is ready for the next generation of modern merchant vessels. 

What will the future of the maritime workplace look like?

The future of the maritime workplace still needs to be discovered. A vast amount of work still needs to be conducted before automation is the next big thing. Even though the industry is looking at developing ships that require no human interaction, humans will always need to oversee the whole operation. RRCs are going to be vital. Several vessels will work from land to manage and ensure that all processes run smoothly. The operator shall be required to be fully trained and equipped with the knowledge to override and control the vessel from a remote location if needed. 

If we look at level 2 shipping, the vessels require human communication to command them on what they need to do. Therefore rather than a seafarer onboard the ship, they can do so from land. 

The use of HMIs has already become the norm. Damen Shipyard Group has incorporated an HMI that has been developed over the past two years. The system was created in close consultation with captains and chief engineers to improve the safety and efficiency of tugs by providing the crew with the information needed to control and operate the vessel in a format that is easy to use.

The influx of new technologies and the adaptations of existing technologies shall give new digital capabilities to support the realisation of the industry’s digital dreams, which may mean streamlining and optimising ship operations and autonomous ships.  Autonomous ships are going beyond the initial stages of digitalisation, and the adaptions to technologies that support greater autonomy in shipping operations will be required. 

Conclusion

The use of HMIs is a technology that is fundamental for the development of future autonomous ships. Whether a ship is remotely controlled, whether the user is communicating with the vessel from a remote location, or whether they are onboard, HMIs are fundamental technology for future development. 

There must be a framework and regulation put in place for the operation and use of the technology systems. At the present moment in time, there is no legislation to state what qualifications a user must have in order to control the vessel remotely, which is something that needs to be addressed as the person in control of the remote control centre at the time is essential to the captain of the vessel for that given period. 

The effects of this on the everyday seafarer; those with higher skills may be able to transfer them to shore. As stated earlier, those who are OOW can move their skills into an office, and the new technologies pose a threat to their careers. 

The maritime industry’s future in the digital transformation period is still uncertain as more work needs to be conducted, and further trials need to be performed on autonomous vessels before the industry can fully depict how the industry is going to transform in the upcoming years. Still, it shall be interesting to see how the maritime industry’s future shall look and where the shift in roles shall occur.