Navigation in the Arctic. How can simulator training be used for assessment and reduction of risk?

Over the recent years, the ship traffic in the polar areas has increased. There is reason to believe that this traffic, and especially the cruise traffic, will increase further as the ice retracts towards the poles. There is also reason to believe that with the continued focus and exposure of the Polar Region, the cruise tourism to the region will grow.The increased presence in the polar areas will create positive repercussions for several actors, both on sea and land. There will however also be negative consequences associated with the growing presence in the polar areas. Vessels will be operating with long distance to other vessels and land infrastructures. These vessels will also be operating in climate and conditions that will put extra pressure on both vessel and crew. These challenges need to be solved in order for the ship industry to operate safely in the Polar Region. The thesis is focused on navigation in the Arctic, and especially how the use of simulator exercises can be used for assessment and reduction of risk. The first part of the thesis is related to study of literature as a method for collecting theory and background information for the thesis. The theoretical basis is then used for performing a preliminary hazard analysis for navigation in the Arctic. Based on the results from the analysis it is described how simulator training can be used as a risk-reducing measure for operation in the Arctic. It is also described for which hazards simulator training is an effective measure and for which hazards other techniques will be more useful

Use of simulator training to mitigate risks in arctic shipping operations

Over the recent years, ship traffic in the polar areas has increased. There is reason to believe that this traffic, and especially the cruise traffic, will increase further as the ice retracts towards the poles. There is also reason to believe that with the continued focus and exposure of the Polar Region, the cruise tourism to the region will grow. The increased presence in the polar areas will create positive repercussions for several actors, both on sea and land. There will, however, also be challenges associated with the growing presence in the polar areas. Vessels will be operating at long distances to other vessels and land infrastructures. These vessels will also be operating in climate and conditions that will put extra pressure on both vessel and crew. These challenges need to be solved in order for the ship industry to operate safely in the Polar Region. To ensure that companies operating in these areas identify and manage these challenges, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) developed the Polar Code (2017) with the intent of increasing the safety for vessels operating in polar waters, and to reduce the impact on humans and environment in this remote, vulnerable and harsh area. This code defines a number of requirements, with which the vessels should operate in accordance with. In this paper, we reveal which challenges the vessel and its crew need to deal with when navigating in polar waters. The challenges will be analysed and assessed through the use of a preliminary qualitative risk analysis to determine the potential hazards the vessel is exposed to under operations in polar waters, and to find out what level of risk the different hazards represents for the vessel and its crew. The main objective of the paper is to find out how the risk levels can be reduced, with particular focus on the use of simulator training as a risk reducing measure. The final goal is to measure the risk towards acceptance criteria, which have been determined prior to conducting the analysis.publishedVersio

The impact of safety factors on decision-making in maritime navigation

Approximately 85% of maritime accidents are accounted for by navigation accidents, caused by human errors such as mistakes in impropriate decision-making. Decision-making skills are the key to safe sailing. However, the assessment of decisionmaking based on objective measurements is rarely studied. This paper aims to assess the impact of safety factors on decision-making in maritime navigation. Two different levels of complexity, each with a different number of safety factors, were designed for the experiment. NASA-TXL rating was used to evaluate the participants’ perceived workload and performance, while objective measures such as deviation from the planned route were used to analyze decision-making and performance. Results indicate that a higher workload and stress level are associated with more complex scenarios and safety factors and that safety is prioritized in decision-making under stress. The research can be used to improve decision-making skills in maritime training programs

Navigation in the Arctic. How can simulator training be used for assessment and reduction of risk?

Over the recent years, the ship traffic in the polar areas has increased. There is reason to believe that this traffic, and especially the cruise traffic, will increase further as the ice retracts towards the poles. There is also reason to believe that with the continued focus and exposure of the Polar Region, the cruise tourism to the region will grow.The increased presence in the polar areas will create positive repercussions for several actors, both on sea and land. There will however also be negative consequences associated with the growing presence in the polar areas. Vessels will be operating with long distance to other vessels and land infrastructures. These vessels will also be operating in climate and conditions that will put extra pressure on both vessel and crew. These challenges need to be solved in order for the ship industry to operate safely in the Polar Region. The thesis is focused on navigation in the Arctic, and especially how the use of simulator exercises can be used for assessment and reduction of risk. The first part of the thesis is related to study of literature as a method for collecting theory and background information for the thesis. The theoretical basis is then used for performing a preliminary hazard analysis for navigation in the Arctic. Based on the results from the analysis it is described how simulator training can be used as a risk-reducing measure for operation in the Arctic. It is also described for which hazards simulator training is an effective measure and for which hazards other techniques will be more useful

Assessment of stress levels based on biosignal during the simulator-based maritime navigation training and its impact on sailing route reliability

Maritime training can improve safety by equipping seafarers with the knowledge and skills to manage risk. However, designing a quality training program can be challenging and stress can negatively impact performance and safety. To address this, the present study aims to investigate the relationship between stress and training outcomes, with the goal of developing more effective stress-based training systems. Two stressful scenarios were designed with varying safety factors involved during navigation tasks. The study examines the impact of stress levels on training outcomes and performance based on safety factors and the correlation between self-assessed stress levels and objective stress levels obtained from biosignal data. The study was conducted in a simulated bridge environment in Tromsø, Norway, and analyzed using statistical tests and machine learning models. The findings of this study indicate that training scenarios can be classified by stress levels, which were found to be associated with reduced visibility, equipment failures, and severe weather conditions. Additionally, the study revealed that stress levels can negatively impact performance in maritime navigation and sailing route reliability. These findings provide insights into how to improve the quality and effectiveness of maritime training programs and ultimately enhance safety at sea