Barriers to the adoption of ECDIS

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Barriers to the adoption of ECDIS

• Summary of Key Findings
• IHO WEND Meeting April 7th 2005

The Hailwood Report
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Background

• 2nd International ECDIS Conference 2003
  Singapore
• Operators present want ECDIS and where they lead
  the rest of the industry will follow
• Regulators identify significant benefits to
  Marine Safety and Environmental protection
• But ----
• There are so many operational issues that both
  groups are disillusioned and losing interest
• How far have we really moved since ECDIS 1 in
  1996 ?
• Dont give me excuses, give me ENCs !!
• So ---
• MPA and UKHO commissioned survey to identify
  needs and views of real customers, operating real
  ships in a real commercial environment

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Question

• What are the main operational issues delaying
  the adoption of ECDIS aboard merchant ships ?

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The Hailwood Report

• Capt Paul Hailwood
• Master Mariner 20 years at sea
• Electronic Charts since 1996
• Operator Training at Warsash
• Consulting on bridge procedures etc
• Assignments for PO, Carnival, RFA and, most
  recently, QM II
• Advised MCA on MGN 194 Risk Assessment and
  appropriate paper folio with ECDIS

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• Phase 1 - Seafarers Questionnaire
• Phase 2 - Ship-owner Interviews
• Asia, Europe and North America
• Cruise, Container, Bulker, Tanker
• Conclusions consistent with ECDIS Conference
  feedback, user groups etc.

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• FINDINGS

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Sea-farers Questionnaire 1

• Who are they ?
• What is their employment ?
• What is their experience with electronic charts?
• What is their level of understanding ?

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Observations 1

• A good cross-section of mariners
• Worrying level of confusion over difference
  between ECDIS and ECS
• Just over 60 considered they had Good to Average
  understanding of e.g. Backup Arrangements, ENC,
  SOLAS etc
• Less than 50 of RENCs, RCDS etc

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Seafarers Questionnaire 2

• What do they think of ECDIS ?
• Have they experienced any of the commonly
  reported limitations ?
• What would be important to them if navigating
  using ECDIS?
• How highly do they value commonly mentioned
  benefits ?
• What would they like to see improved?

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Observations 2

• ECDIS is only rated higher or similar to ECS on
  accuracy and completeness but
• These are also the aspects which they value most
  highly
• Many have had bad experience with most other
  aspects
• Many of the limitations highlighted are
  hardware/display related
• Many disliked alarm function
• Ease of update and good situational awareness in
  real time highlighted as key benefits

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Quotations

• Seafarers were given an opportunity to state
  benefits in their own words they said-
• ECDIS is extremely useful in areas of traffic
  density when used with target overlay from ARPA
  ---
• Would do away with the drudgery of manually
  correcting a large collection of charts.
  Monotonous work is a source of human error.
  Tendency to such work whilst on watch instead of
  keeping proper lookout would be curbed

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Structured Interviews 1

• Who are they ?
• What type of ships do you operate ?
• How many ships do you operate ?
• Where do you trade ?
• What is your experience with ECDIS ?

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Observations 1

• A good cross-section was interviewed representing
  key vessel types, regions and fleet sizes.
• There was good first hand experience of using
  electronic charting.

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Structured Interviews 2

• What do they think of ECDIS ?
• What would motivate them to adopt ECDIS ?
• What would discourage them ?
• What is their perception of ECDIS ?
• Do they understand the regulations ?
• What would they like to see improved ?

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GENERAL VIEWS OF ENC
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Observations 2

• Improved situational awareness scores very highly
  this group is concerned about safety
• They also like the safety implications of easy
  updating
• They lack confidence that issues will be
  addressed and resolved
• Potential benefit from better situational
  awareness is negated by shortcomings
• Concerns over data quality how it is
  displayed and presented

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Quotations

• Owners also made some telling comments they
  said-
• I believe there is a 50 improvement in safety
  due to situational awareness by using electronic
  charts.
• It is not simply the ability to save one
  persons time, what is required is an efficient
  method that ensures the quality, accuracy and
  reliability of the Chart corrections.
• If there was an official system, covering all
  the trade routes that could replace paper charts,
  I would have it tomorrow.
• I can take my sailing boat into most marinas in
  Europe using an ENC but not a VLCC from the
  Persian Gulf to Japan, why?

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Human Factors

• Not in original brief but it became apparent that
  human factors issues should also be considered
• Meetings with MAIB and Lloyds Register
• Highlighted that electronic charts-
• Should bring significant benefits to safety by
  reducing reduce fatigue and workload
• Can partly compensate for poor navigational
  practice.
• Should allow more time for visual watch keeping
• More attention could have been given to human
  factors when developing the ECDIS standard

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Report Conclusions

• Electronic charting is viewed positively
• It has potential to significantly improve safety
  and efficiency
• There is much confusion over the regulations
• The distinction between ECDIS and ECS is blurred
• ECDIS does not rate as highly on quality as it
  should
• Users attach high importance to accuracy and
  quality
• Users see a direct link between operational
  efficiency and safety
• Global ENC coverage essential
• Pricing a concern

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Recommendations

• International hydrographic community must-
• Review/improve quality of ENC
• Take the lead in providing clearer guidance on
  regulations particularly the distinction between
  ECDIS and ECS
• Promote Safety through Efficiency
• Promote awareness of Human factors fatigue,
  overload etc
• Clarify pricing, licensing etc

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MPA/UKHO conclusion

• There is a significant gap between the needs of
  the customers and the products and services on
  offer from the hydrographic community
• No single organisation can address all of these
  issues alone it is time to join forces and work
  together
• The international hydrographic community cannot
  afford to ignore the implications of this report