By
Alex Smith |
New research by Lloyd’s Register has suggested that the number of alarms onboard ships should be rationalised to improve crew welfare and avoid safety risks.
The analysis of bridge alarm data, carried out as part of Lloyd’s Register’s Alarm Management in the Maritime Industry report, showed that there has been a 197 per cent increase per hour in alarms while a vessel is in open sea over the last two decades. The investigation also found that there are 70 per cent and six per cent more alarms in coastal waters and confined waters respectively compared to 20 years ago.
On the ship’s bridge, peak rates were found to be 74 alarms per hour in a situation. In the engine room, some ship segments were experiencing an average of 2,500 machinery alarms per day, with peak daily rates of up to 22,500.
According to the report, digitalisation has led to an increasing number of technologies and sensors being fitted to ships, often equipped with alarms. This trend, the report’s authors suggest, can often lead to fatigue and adversely affect officer’ operational awareness and performance onboard. Lloyd’s Register highlights in the report that there are currently no regulatory instruments which require justification for the safety credit claimed by alarms. It argues that alarm frequency should be better monitored and controlled to ensure maximum usefulness of software.
Data was gathered from 65 watchkeeping officers from 15 ships operated by 10 independent companies. The data collected during the investigation was compared with crews’ perception of the impact of alarms on their work.
“This investigation reveals the unintended consequences of many uncoordinated alarm requirements being assembled together in a ship system,” said Duncan Duffy, global head of technology, electrotechnical systems and digitalisation at Lloyd’s Register. “There is an obvious need for some alarms but confusion regarding necessary actions or uncertainty regarding root causes can lead or contribute to serious incidents. This comprehensive study represents a key step in addressing these challenges.”
Following its investigation, Lloyd’s Register and a selection of its partners have created an industry task force foundered by the Danish Maritime Fun to research adjacent industry approaches and assess their suitability for managing alarm systems in a maritime setting.
Download the full report via Lloyd’s Register’s website.