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How AI reduces crew fatigue, accidents
Artificial intelligence is improving navigational safety by providing seafarers with insight into advanced hazards and reducing time spent on administration
High-profile ship accidents, such as the collision in March 2024 between container ship Solong and product tanker Stena Immaculate off the UK east coast, demonstrate the risks of crew fatigue, navigational practices, lack of bridge safety and seafarer communications, and the increasing use of automation.
They also highlight how technology, such as artificial intelligence (AI), could be adopted to provide seafarers with insights to improve their situational awareness, reaction to navigational hazards and reduce alarm fatigue issues.
An expert panel discussed key safety challenges and AI use during Riviera’s The illusion of safety: what we are getting wrong about crews, technology and fatigue webinar, which was held in association with Orca AI on 13 May 2025 during Riveria’s
Orca AI chief technical officer and co-founder Dor Raviv, Anglo-Eastern Ship Management chief information officer Torbjorn Dimblad, Maran Tankers Management operations director Georgios Asteros and Lloyd’s Register product manager of autonomous systems and novel technologies in marine and offshore, Dipali Kuchekar.
The panel considered the growing fatigue challenge on ships, as highlighted by government-backed accident investigations.
“Even a routine or complex port operation can lead to excessive workloads and fatigue for the available crew”
The experts agreed ship operators, owners and managers need to go beyond compliance to protect seafarers against exhaustion and stress, and offer technology to help crew recognise the risks.
Discussions also considered how technology, including AI, could help bridge teams improve situational awareness and decision-making, while data-based insights are helping to reduce navigational risks. Panel discussions covered how to balance safety, efficiency and costs and whether technology would reduce onboard manning levels.
Mr Dimblad outlined the key challenges when managing seafarers’ rest and maintaining sufficient manning levels, reducing administration tasks and improving onboard safety.
“There are often huge pressures to meet tight schedules that mean rest periods are interrupted or not truly restorative,” said Mr Dimblad. “A seafarer may be off duty but having to be mentally engaged with the upcoming tasks, dealing with noise or vessel movements, and is unable to achieve that deep, restorative sleep.”
On the bridge, seafarers may become over-reliant on navigation technology and ignore important alarms if tired. “When alarms are constantly sounding, often for critical, but also often for non-critical issues, their effectiveness of alerting to genuine danger is diminished,” Mr Dimblad warned.
He highlighted how crews are stretched when ships are entering, departing and operating in ports. “Even a routine or complex port operation can lead to excessive workloads and fatigue for the available crew.”
Another challenge is reducing the amount of time spent on administrative tasks. “Compliance and documentation are essential for both safety and accountability,” said Mr Dimblad. “However, the sheer volume of administrative tasks placed upon the ship’s senior officers has exploded. This paperwork empire consumes vast amounts of time that could be dedicated to operational safety, training or even rest.”
An answer is to use AI and digital co-pilots on bridges to reduce administrative tasks and mundane watchkeeping duties for crews, enabling them to concentrate on maintaining high safety levels and taking rest periods.
Capt Asteros focused on using technology to improve navigational safety, which he said is essential to prevent catastrophic accidents involving crude tankers. The company operates and manages 54 ships, mainly Suezmax and VLCC tankers.
“An accident with one of our VLCCs, wherever it is in the world, would be a catastrophe for us, the environment and for the economy of the area,” he said. Which is why Maran Tankers is working with industry leaders to enhance operational safety, while reducing bureaucracy.
It is testing innovations on tankers to raise awareness through continuous monitoring and smart machinery maintenance, helping crews during port calls and through inspections, and reducing onboard administration to help ensure safe navigation.
“We are trying to minimise the involvement of the crew in the reporting systems,” said Capt Asteros. “We use Orca AI to improve navigation and enhance situational awareness.”
Ms Kuchekar highlighted how technology should be designed around crews, be interactive and have effective human interfaces. “When designing systems, human interaction is paramount,” she said. “It is essential to ensure safety is not compromised and all requirements are met.”
When considering the competence of systems, developers need to look at human factors, such as reducing fatigue in alarm management and alerting crews. “Technology enables new leaps in operations, helping seafarers if humans are the main focus point. Users should be at the core,” said Ms Kuchekar.
However, Lloyd’s Register’s research has identified that many systems were not designed to be human focused, which is disadvantageous to ship safety. “There are lot of alarms to attend to, and that creates alarm fatigue,” said Ms Kuchekar, adding system designers need to have a greater “understanding of decision making of seafarers” and help them prioritise tasks and alerts.
“The whole industry needs to understand how technology is impacting operations,” she continued. “We need to find solutions to manage technology and its adoption.” This includes setting frameworks to ensure human factors are central to engineering and system design.
Systems must be “interaction and proactive” and designers should consider operational aspects and ship lifecycles. “Designers should discuss with crews, manufacturers, owners and operators, think about positioning and crew interfaces as key aspects in design,” said Ms Kuchekar.
Navigational co-pilot
Mr Raviv said the shipping industry is adopting AI-related technologies for various applications, and especially to reduce risks during ship navigation.
“When AI is applied well, it can reduce mental load, reinforce awareness and increase safety margins,” he said. “There are shifts in situational awareness of hazards. A co-pilot can alert crew to hazards and reduce stress.”
Orca AI’s SeaPods reduce the risk of close encounters and near misses, said Mr Raviv. “AI is redefining lives at sea and making sure ship operations are as safe as possible. It is enabling better operations.”
During ocean voyages, Orca AI’s technology could be used to sail ships autonomously or with a minimum bridge complement, enabling crew to rest ready for the next port call.
“Crew would be less fatigued and have sharper minds to make safer decisions,” said Mr Raviv. “Our co-pilot is more than just an autopilot. It improves navigation safety, reduces the number of close encounters and increases distances between hazards.”
Webinar poll results
Attendees were asked to vote on a series of poll questions during the webinar. Here is a summary of the results.
What are the daily working hours of the ratings performing lookout duties (include all work hours)?
8 hours: 29%
10 hours: 48%
12 hours: 23%
What do you see as the biggest barrier to adopting AI technologies in the shipping industry?
Costs and limited budget: 33%
Regulatory uncertainty: 11%
Resistance to change: 20%
Lack of technical expertise on board: 36%
Should training on maritime AI tools be included in formal maritime education and certification programmes?
Yes: it is essential for future-ready seafarers: 69%
Yes: but only for officers and bridge crew: 5%
No: training should be handled by companies post-deployment: 15%
Unsure: 11%
What kind of feedback have you received from seafarers about the introduction of AI tools on board?
Mostly positive: AI helps reduce stress and workload: 17%
Mixed: some benefits, but also concerns: 35%
Mostly negative: concerns about surveillance, control, or job security: 3%
Haven’t received much feedback yet: 18%
Not applicable/no AI tools deployed yet: 27%
How do you envision the role of the seafarer evolving over the next five years with increased use of AI and automation?
Tech-focused with hybrid digital-navigation roles: 50%
Workload but higher need for oversight and system monitoring: 32%
Job displacement or reduction in crew numbers: 13%
Major changes expected: 5%
Does your ship management system require a lookout on the bridge beyond the compulsory night time?
Yes: 41%
No: 10%
Under specific conditions: 49%
(source: Riviera Maritime Media)
On the panel of Riviera’s The illusion of safety: what we are getting wrong about crews, technology and fatigue webinar were (left to right): Orca AI chief technical officer and co-founder Dor Raviv, Anglo-Eastern Ship Management chief information officer Torbjorn Dimblad, Maran Tankers Management operations director Georgios Asteros and Lloyd’s Register product manager of autonomous systems and novel technologies in marine and offshore, Dipali Kuchekar.
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