Horizon Research Project
This EU sponsored research project is a joint venture between Warsash Maritime Academy (Southampton Solent University), Chalmers Tekniska Hoegskola AB (Dept of Shipping and Marine Technology (Sweden), the Stress Research Institute of Stockholm University, together with 8 other participant companies and authorities.
There are increasing concerns over human safety, environmental damage and commercial loss due to watch officer fatigue. The UK’s Marine Accident Investigation branch (MAIB) report entitled “Bridge Watchkeeping Safety Study (2004)” cites fatigue as a major causal factor in collisions and groundings. There is however, very little information about how the watch patterns for instance, 6on – 6off and 4on - 8off have an influence on watchkeeper performance.
In this research we have studied how the different watch systems have influenced the levels of fatigue or sleepiness, both of deck and engine room watchkeeping officers. The simulation research involving many runs of seven day, realistic voyage scenarios was completed in 2011 and a vast array of data has been assembled (see project Video|). This has been analysed by Stockholm University and reviewed by all partners: the findings are being published and the Project's public Final Report| will be available here. The full set of publications are reported on the Horizon publications| webpage - or can be accessed via the links to the right.
Do you want to know more?
Download the PDF leaflet|
or please contact:
Annette Dymond
Phone +44 (0) 1489 556184
E-mail: annette.dymond@solent.ac.uk|
Professor Mike Barnett
E-mail: Mike.Barnett@solent.ac.uk|