Evaluating a marine service website model within a ship bridge simulator: sailors' experiences and opinions towards innovative electronic navigation systems
In a groundbreaking study, researchers have developed a novel maritime service website prototype aimed at enhancing the Electronic Chart Display and Information Systems (ECDIS) for more efficient and safer navigation. This project, a part of the European Commission's EfficienSea2 initiative for e-navigation, was designed to complement existing standard systems and methodologies for planning, executing, and monitoring voyages.
The study emphasised the importance of user-centered design, standardization, and integration of multiple real-time sensor data in the development of the prototype. The ECDIS interfaces were designed to be programmable and customisable, catering to diverse user needs and operational contexts, thereby improving usability and decision-making capabilities.
The use of standardised Electronic Navigational Charts (ENCs) that comply with the International Hydrographic Organization (IHO) specifications (IHO S-57) was another key aspect. This ensures interoperability, data integrity, and compliance with maritime regulations. The prototype also integrates position information and sensor data from GPS, Automatic Identification System (AIS), radar, and other navigational sensors, providing real-time situational awareness.
The study was conducted over nine days, with five days focused on standard practices and four days testing the prototype. Data collection methods included observations, video footage, interviews, and eye tracking. The findings suggested that the prototype could be most suitable for the route planning stage, potentially excelling in this area.
The study's participants, who were already familiar with similar solutions from other manufacturers, were observed during simulator trials. The data analysis process involved breaking apart qualitative data to capture participants' perceptions and a preliminary analysis of eye-tracking data.
In summary, the study underscores the need for novel solutions to be user-needs driven, integrated with existing technologies, and standardised across the domain. The innovative maritime service website prototype, if integrated within ECDIS systems, could significantly improve maritime safety and efficiency by providing intuitive, real-time navigational information.
This synthesis is based primarily on the technical and operational details outlined by NOAA and maritime industry sources in 2025. The study's results are a promising step towards the development of more efficient and user-friendly ECDIS systems for the maritime industry.
- To ensure continuous improvement and innovation in the maritime industry, the integration of technology such as facial coding and media analytics could provide valuable insights into user behaviors and preferences during the development of future ECDIS systems.
- As the finance industry continues to invest heavily in technology for enhanced decision-making, the success of media analytics and eye-tracking methodologies in this study could pave the way for similar applications in the analysis and optimization of investment strategies within the industry.
- In parallel with advancements in the transportation sector, the development of technology for vehicle-to-vehicle and vehicle-to-infrastructure communication could benefit from facilitating the integration of eye-tracking, facial coding, and media analytics, helping to improve traffic management and safety systems.
