Toward optimization of maritime training on communications: a pilot study

Abstract

Intelligent machines and advancing IT technologies enabling operators on a ship’s bridge can work together with the platform and other vessels via communications channels. Even though research has addressed on the importance of “readback” skills in maritime communication, chaos communications in reality dismiss those “readback” skills. Due to poor design of communications channels, interactive relations between a group people and systems are overlooked. This paper records a case that took place in one of the offshore oilfields at Sea, which due to poor communications, resulted in unsafe operations. We adapt actor-network theory (ANT) to analyze and characterize weakness points of interaction relations between human and human communications as well as human and machine communication for maritime operations. We suggest that more training on communications, focusing on communications in interaction relations, would help enhancing safety concerns in safety critical working environments.