 04 Nov 2025
04 Nov 2025 GMT - ONLINE
GMT - ONLINEThe head of an accident investigation branch has highlighted the need to rethink the role of human watchkeepers in the digital age
As ships utilise digital and electronic navigation systems, bridge teams can over-rely on the information and become tired and bored during long voyages.
Lapses in concentration and situational awareness can lead to ship accidents, collisions and groundings resulting in a loss of life, marine pollution and ship and cargo damage. If this happens in UK waters or elsewhere involving a UK-flagged ship, the UK government’s Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) gets involved.
MAIB’s investigations uncover issues on bridges where a single watchkeeper becomes disinterested and fatigued by constantly having to monitor situations instead of actively navigating and controlling a ship.
The MAIB’s chief inspector of marine accidents Andrew Moll highlighted navigational issues that have led to ship collisions and groundings in the past two years and how investigations uncovered poor watchkeeping practices.
One example was the dramatic collision of container roro Solong into the anchored product tanker Stena Immaculate earlier this year off the Humber Estuary.
Also mentioned in Capt Moll’s report was the fatal collision between Scot Carrier and Karin Høj in 2023, the accident involving Scot Explorer and Happy Falcon in 2024 and the fatal collision between Verity and Polesie, which is still under investigation.
These accidents, and the resulting investigations “indicate a need to radically rethink the role of human watchkeepers in the digital age,” said Capt Moll in the MAIB’s annual report for 2024. “Humans do not make good monitors and if under-stimulated they will find other things to occupy themselves.”
This can include using personal mobile devices during watches on the bridge, falling asleep or becoming unresponsive to potential incidents.
One solution is for alarms to be set up on electronic navigation equipment, such as ECDIS, to alert watchkeepers of any change in situation or parameters, or of potential upcoming hazards.
"Humans can be reluctant to utilise system functions that will alert them to impending problems"
Another is using a bridge navigational watch alarm system (BNWAS) that would alert other crew members if the watchhouse is unattended or the watchkeeper is inactive.
However, several accident investigations by the MAIB over the last decade have discovered these BNWAS are often turned off or silenced.
“Humans can be reluctant to utilise system functions that will alert them to impending problems,” said Capt Moll. “The MAIB will seek to explore this phenomenon in more depth during future investigations.”
In his introduction to the MAIB annual review, Capt Moll also highlighted the high number of flooding incidents on commercial fishing vessels and how these boats are not designed to rapidly remove water ingress.
“Losses to flooding last year indicate how vulnerable many fishing vessels are to water ingress,” he said. “Most of the UK fishing fleet have little, if any, watertight subdivision so any appreciable inflow of water can swiftly overwhelm the onboard pumps. In such circumstances, raising the alarm early and being well-practised in abandonment routines can and does save lives.”
Injuries and deaths from occupational accidents on well-crewed fishing vessels have also risen due to unsafe working practices.
“Future MAIB investigation reports will likely develop the theme of moving beyond ‘having a risk assessment’ to the proactive management of risk,” said Capt Moll.
The MAIB recorded 1,631 reports of accidents to UK vessels worldwide and vessels within UK coastal waters during 2024 involving 1,753 vessels.
’s nextVessel Optimisation Webinar Weekfocus on AI-driven vessel optimisation, practical decarbonisation strategies, and the integration of digital twinUse this link for more information and to register
Events
 04 Nov 2025
04 Nov 2025 GMT - ONLINE
GMT - ONLINE 18 Nov 2025
18 Nov 2025 London
London 19 Nov 2025
19 Nov 2025 Singapore
Singapore 24 Nov 2025
24 Nov 2025 GMT - ONLINE
GMT - ONLINE© 2024 Riviera Maritime Media Ltd.