Industry leaders join forces to develop the seafarer of tomorrow

The trailblazer maritime autonomous surface ship sector working group will develop the apprenticeship route for remote and autonomous maritime operations both above and below the surface.

SeaBot XR chairs the Apprenticeship Trailblazer Group in Autonomous and Remote Vessel Operations, whose members include employers and industry stakeholders including geo-data specialist Fugro, the United Kingdom National Oceanography Centre, marine robotics company Ocean Infinity, Shipowners P&I Club, and the Royal Navy.

Initially, the group will identify the basic skills and competencies an individual will require to safely navigate, control and manage small- to medium-sized MASS vessels. It will analyse emerging requirements and define occupational and training standards.

As the industry matures, the group will blend this training, building upon basic skills, with more advanced knowledge routes and specialisms that will be required for the operation of maritime autonomous surface ships.

SeaBot XR chief executive Gordon Meadow said, “It’s a key priority for us to champion the importance of the seafarer. It’s all about the people.”

Development of the MASS sector has been further spurred on by the Covid-19 coronavirus pandemic.

Although autonomous and remotely operated vessels will sail with few or no crew on board, their introduction will not reduce the requirement for highly trained personnel. It will, however, dramatically alter the necessary competencies needed to monitor and control such vessels.

Mr Meadow said, “Through the adoption of MASS we’re witnessing a skills paradigm-shift towards the connected mariner. However, there is a lack of awareness about the skills gap in the maritime industry that will need to be filled as the implementation of autonomous and remote vessel technology is expanded.”

Royal Navy Commodore Andy Cree said, “The Royal Navy, through its lead of the Solent Maritime Enterprise Zone, has a sharp focus on identifying and addressing the future skills gaps associated with new and emergent maritime technologies.”

“We are therefore delighted to be part of this Apprenticeship Trailblazer Group developing employer-led apprenticeship standards in autonomous and remote vessel operations which will pave the way for a skilled maritime workforce of the future,” he said.

Each will be working to facilitate embedding the skills requirements in MASS, yielding a workforce with the same informed decisionmaking capability as onboard crew today. The trailblazer is being supported through the development process by the regulator for apprenticeship quality, the Institute for Apprenticeships & Technical Education.

Mr Meadow said “We will see a continued shift in how onboard and offboard navigational and engineering functions are performed. It’s a very exciting time.”

“A new apprenticeship in autonomous and remote vessel operations will provide new talent and an even greater, multidisciplined, highly-trained workforce, with the know-how to safely monitor, control and deal with situations remotely.”

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