Ship managers urged to support global survey on technology at sea

The Nautical Institute is calling on ship managers, owners and maritime organisations to help ensure seafarers have a voice in how new technology is introduced across the industry.

Companies are being asked to circulate the global survey #ListeningToSeafarers among their crews and shore-based teams, encouraging maritime professionals to share their first-hand experiences of using technology at sea.

The survey forms part of the STEER Project – Seafarer Technology Engagement, Empowerment and Resilience – being delivered by The Nautical Institute in collaboration with Lloyd’s Register Foundation.

It asks where technology is making work safer or easier, where it is adding pressure, how it affects workload and decision-making, and whether seafarers receive enough training to understand the systems they are expected to use.

With automation, artificial intelligence, remote operations, sensor-based monitoring, digital logs and connected systems becoming increasingly common, the project aims to ensure future decisions are informed by the people using these technologies in practice.

The Nautical Institute is particularly seeking the support of ship managers, who can help the survey reach seafarers across their fleets. Responses are also invited from superintendents, trainers, safety professionals, remote operators and others involved in vessel operation and support.

Captain Ann Pletschke CMMar FNI, STEER Project Lead at The Nautical Institute, said: “Technology is changing maritime operations at pace, but the people who use these systems every day must be central to the conversation. Too often, decisions about technology are made without fully understanding the practical impact on seafarers’ work, safety, skills and welfare.

“The STEER Project is built around #ListeningToSeafarers. We want to hear directly from maritime professionals about what is helping, what is making life more difficult, and what support, training or tools are needed to ensure technology improves safety and decision-making in practice.”

The findings will be used to develop practical tools and guidance that will be made freely available to the industry, supporting safer and more human-centred technology adoption.

The survey is short, available in multiple languages and allows participants to answer as many questions as they wish.

Ship managers and maritime organisations can support the project by sharing the survey with their crews and professional networks.

To take part in the survey, please visit:https://www.nautinst.org/resources-page/your-voice-is-important-to-us.html

To find out more about the STEER Project, please visit:https://www.nautinst.org/steer-project.html