Will improved connectivity onboard improve competence in shipping? The latest installment of Connectivity with Inmarsat, a special report contained within Ship Concept 2035, our new magazine.
Improved onboard connectivity significantly enhances competence in shipping, according to many people surveyed for this magazine.
Enhanced connectivity facilitates real-time communication between onboard crews and shore-based teams. Through video conferencing and collaborative platforms, seafarers can receive immediate guidance, partake in virtual training sessions, and engage in knowledge sharing, thereby improving operational efficiency and decision-making.
Andrew Airey, who heads up Thai shipmanager Highland Maritime, argues that if connectivity brings true assistance to shipboard personnel in more efficiently handling their duties and reducing their workload and stress levels then it can clearly improve the industry.
“Enhanced bandwidth enables real-time training, remote mentoring, and smoother digital operations. Competence increases as crews can access updated safety protocols, predictive maintenance alerts, and decision support tools,” says Shah Irani, chief technology officer of Fleet Management.
Tore Morten Olsen, president of maritime at Marlink, questions whether accessing training remotely between work and sleep is the right environment.
“Training that builds competence – whether in person, remote or virtual – needs to be delivered in the right environment to encourage learning and teamwork,” Olsen says.
Pradeep Chawla, the founder of MarinePALS, a training specialist, has statistics that back up how online training directly leads to better safety and better performance in vetting and port state control inspections.
Ajay Chaudhry, the CEO of shipmanagement at Synergy Marine Group, maintains that real-time access to simulators, troubleshooting support and feedback on performance all transform learning into what he describes as a “continuous loop”.
However, the tech must be complemented by human systems, Chaudhry argues.
We’ve seen best results when connectivity enables, not replaces, professional development
“Leadership, feedback culture, and accountability. We’ve seen best results when connectivity enables, not replaces, professional development,” Chaudhry says. “With the right infrastructure, even vessels that are far out to sea become floating learning environments that empower crew to solve problems in real time.”
Connectivity is only the toolbox or enabler, argues Peter Schellenberger, the head of Novomaxis, a consultancy.
“It is now up to the industry to find correct use cases and applications to maximise efficiency,” he says, stressing the importance of training for both shore and seagoing staff. “Applications are live faster than regulations so it is up to the companies to work with their learning providers to cover the ground,” Schellenberger says.
Quite so, agrees Nicholas Goubert, co-CEO of online learning giant Ocean Technologies Group.
Improved connectivity onboard promises massive gains in the speed of deployment whereby as soon as a solution is ready it can be consumed by seafarers wherever they are located, Goubert says.
“This makes the process of building competency much more agile especially when regulations are moving fast and people want to respond to dynamic threats,” Goubert says.
Improved connectively also opens up the possibility of richer learning experiences such as cloud simulation, virtual reality, and gamification, he adds.
In terms of operations, connectivity is crucial in facilitating technology deployment and digitalisation of the maritime industry.
“Reliable connectivity allows for real-time monitoring and management of vessel operations, including navigation and maintenance. This leads to optimised fuel consumption, reduced downtime, and improved safety,” says Niraj Nanda, chief commercial officer of Anglo-Eastern.
Reliable connectivity is also essential for driving innovation in the maritime industry. Anglo-Eastern, for instance, continues to explore innovative technologies, including drone deliveries, augmented reality, and AI, to further drive efficiency and sustainability. A notable example is the company’s remote maintenance support, which revolutionises equipment troubleshooting and enables swift issue resolution without requiring on-site specialists.
Real-time performance feedback, shore-based support, and system diagnostics become possible with connected ships
It’s not just competence, per se, that will improve, according to Manish Singh, the founder of British advisory Aboutships. Decision making will change massively, he says.
“Real-time performance feedback, shore-based support, and system diagnostics become possible with connected ships,” Singh says, discussing the rise of embedded training, remote decision support, and automated compliance — all of which he believes will raise technical competence and reduce human error.
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