New research aims to reduce ship collisions

Imagine a calm day at sea. Light wind. Good visibility. Small waves. There's no reason for anything to happen, yet a passenger ferry collides with a fishing vessel.

Such a collision is by no means unique, but it can be an example of an accident where the watch crew does not perceive danger signals or does not recognize them in time to avoid the accident.

Why do ships collide with each other

An important part of the project, named "Collaborative User-centred Engineering of Digital Navigational Tools," involves understanding how seafarers make decisions and on what basis. By interviewing the crew on the bridge, the goal is to gain knowledge about what causes things to go wrong—or right.

“We actually lack fundamental knowledge about why ships collide with each other. We want to change that,” says Erik Styhr Petersen.

He leads the project, which this week received NOK 12 million from the Norwegian Research Council. In addition to Western Norway University of Applied Sciences, SINTEF and NTNU were also awarded funds for maritime research in this round.

A central concept in the project is what is called cue-awareness, the ability to perceive and recognize various signals. According to a study from the European Maritime Safety Agency, navigators did not detect important signals in 57 percent of accidents. In other words, they did not recognize that the ship was in a dangerous situation or concluded that the risk of something happening was unlikely.

Professor Margareta Holtensdotter Lützhöft

Technology has not changed for decades

Over the past 50 years, technological advancements have provided valuable data to the bridge crew, especially in challenging situations with darkness and poor visibility—but technology like radar has fundamentally not changed for many decades.

“Instead of using the technology we have available, we want to find out what seafarers actually need to make good decisions. The goal is to develop new technology that truly fits the people who will use it,” he says, adding that the opportunities given by the digital revolution must be considered.

Styhr Petersen says it is crucial to clarify the risks present around the ship in the most effective way.

“Machine learning and artificial intelligence might help, but other digital solutions and opportunities are also in play. Perhaps we can use other forms of communication than displaying things on a screen? Directional sound is a promising possibility. Displaying obstacles close to the view through the windows is another. Can we draw attention to what we call ‘creeping normality,’ situations that change so slowly that you don’t notice them? All this can be utilized when we have more knowledge about what works well today and what users need,” points out Styhr Petersen.

Aiming to Influence Training, Technology, and Policy

With such a comprehensive approach to the issue, the project is expected to have an impact on maritime safety, both in the short and long term.

“The knowledge we gain from this project can contribute to changes in training, education, and technology. Our goal is also that the results can be used when the international convention for safety, environmental protection, and efficiency in the maritime sector is revised in 2027,” says Styhr Petersen.

The project will be led by Erik Styhr Petersen in close collaboration with Professor Margaretha Lützhöft, both members of the research group Marsafe. Both have previously led large maritime research projects.

The project is a collaboration with NTNU, the Knudsen Group, Moen Marin, AQS, and Kongsberg Maritime.