This paper is based on research and analysis of 5 incident cases from the period 2013-2016 publis... more This paper is based on research and analysis of 5 incident cases from the period 2013-2016 published by European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA) that clearly marks the safety risks due to the improper use of sophisticated electronic navigational tools-AIS, ECDIS, Integrated Bridge Systems, Automatic Radar Plotting Aids on board commercial ships, as well as, discusses issues of potential risks involved with complacency and over reliance on Electronic Chart Display and Information System (ECDIS) and advises that seafarers should put more efforts to undergo the necessary traditional navigational training. There is a growing tendency for seafarer competence to be measured by administrative and electronic expertise, but this can mask poor performance when basic seamanship is required. Seafarers should continue to be trained in a variety of traditional and proven navigational techniques, hold a paper chart " back up " portfolio, and run table top exercises to maintain their familiarity with paper charts and proper position fixing routines. An over reliance on ECDIS can cause these traditional skills to fade and potentially lead to incidents. The industry should make sufficient navigational training widely available. Human errors are generally caused by technologies, environments, and organizations which are incompatible in some way with optimal human performance. The human has been expected to adapt to the system but this does not work. Instead, what needs to be done is to adapt the system to the human.
Celestial navigation is the art and science of navigating by the stars, sun, moon, and planets, a... more Celestial navigation is the art and science of navigating by the stars, sun, moon, and planets, and it is one of the oldest of human arts. With the rise of electronic means of finding location, especially with the increasingly popular Global Positioning System (GPS), knowledge of celestial navigation has experienced a precipitous decline. Celestial navigation involves reducing celestial measurements taken with a sextant to lines of position on a chart using calculators or computer programs… But there is another approach-Celestial navigation enters powerfully 21st century as a highly sophisticated technology. Unfortunately, since much of the new hardware has been developed for space and aircraft systems, many of the technological advances have been invisible to those outside the aerospace engineering community. Authors of this paper believes that much of the work that has gone into star trackers for space applications can be brought down to Earth to serve in new generation sea navigation systems-in particular, combining automated star trackers with inertial navigation systems (INS) seems to be a synergistic match-they have complementary characteristics. Although such astro-inertial systems are now in limited operational use with good success, the automated star trackers they contain are based on outdated technology. New star tracker systems, currently used in space and aircraft applications, would provide a cheaper, more reliable navigation system. With reduced costs and enhanced reliability, such systems may be practical on many platforms not previously considered, including commercial and naval ships. Currently modern bridge navigation systems rely almost entirely on GPS, it is important that this dependence does not become a singlepointfailure risk for safe navigation. Independent alternatives to GPS are needed and are required. Application of available technology can ensure that celestial navigation has as much of a role to play in the future as it has in the past in helping to provide safe passage for ships worldwide.
This paper is based on research and analysis of 5 incident cases from the period 2013-2016 publis... more This paper is based on research and analysis of 5 incident cases from the period 2013-2016 published by European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA) that clearly marks the safety risks due to the improper use of sophisticated electronic navigational tools-AIS, ECDIS, Integrated Bridge Systems, Automatic Radar Plotting Aids on board commercial ships, as well as, discusses issues of potential risks involved with complacency and over reliance on Electronic Chart Display and Information System (ECDIS) and advises that seafarers should put more efforts to undergo the necessary traditional navigational training. There is a growing tendency for seafarer competence to be measured by administrative and electronic expertise, but this can mask poor performance when basic seamanship is required. Seafarers should continue to be trained in a variety of traditional and proven navigational techniques, hold a paper chart " back up " portfolio, and run table top exercises to maintain their familiarity with paper charts and proper position fixing routines. An over reliance on ECDIS can cause these traditional skills to fade and potentially lead to incidents. The industry should make sufficient navigational training widely available. Human errors are generally caused by technologies, environments, and organizations which are incompatible in some way with optimal human performance. The human has been expected to adapt to the system but this does not work. Instead, what needs to be done is to adapt the system to the human.
Celestial navigation is the art and science of navigating by the stars, sun, moon, and planets, a... more Celestial navigation is the art and science of navigating by the stars, sun, moon, and planets, and it is one of the oldest of human arts. With the rise of electronic means of finding location, especially with the increasingly popular Global Positioning System (GPS), knowledge of celestial navigation has experienced a precipitous decline. Celestial navigation involves reducing celestial measurements taken with a sextant to lines of position on a chart using calculators or computer programs… But there is another approach-Celestial navigation enters powerfully 21st century as a highly sophisticated technology. Unfortunately, since much of the new hardware has been developed for space and aircraft systems, many of the technological advances have been invisible to those outside the aerospace engineering community. Authors of this paper believes that much of the work that has gone into star trackers for space applications can be brought down to Earth to serve in new generation sea navigation systems-in particular, combining automated star trackers with inertial navigation systems (INS) seems to be a synergistic match-they have complementary characteristics. Although such astro-inertial systems are now in limited operational use with good success, the automated star trackers they contain are based on outdated technology. New star tracker systems, currently used in space and aircraft applications, would provide a cheaper, more reliable navigation system. With reduced costs and enhanced reliability, such systems may be practical on many platforms not previously considered, including commercial and naval ships. Currently modern bridge navigation systems rely almost entirely on GPS, it is important that this dependence does not become a singlepointfailure risk for safe navigation. Independent alternatives to GPS are needed and are required. Application of available technology can ensure that celestial navigation has as much of a role to play in the future as it has in the past in helping to provide safe passage for ships worldwide.
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