How digitalization is affecting maritime safety and the work environment of the crew - A study of technological advances and its effect on end-users onboard an LNG vessel
Typ
Examensarbete på grundnivå
Program
Sjökapten 180 hp (sjökaptensexamen)
Publicerad
2023
Författare
Amanuel, Ann
Modellbyggare
Tidskriftstitel
ISSN
Volymtitel
Utgivare
Sammanfattning
The shipping industry is experiencing a transformational shift towards Shipping 4.0, which involves the integration of digital technologies. While these technologies promise to increase efficiency and reduce costs, they also create new challenges and stressors for workers onboard tanker-vessels. Technostress is a psychological phenomenon that arises from the use of information and communication technologies (ICT), which is associated with negative outcomes such as burnout, decreased job satisfaction, and reduced performance. Furthermore, the techno-invasion and techno-overload in the maritime industry can lead to a loss of control further amplifying technostress.
This stress can be compounded by the physical isolation and long work hours experienced by seafarers. A thematic analysis of interviews has been carried out onboard an LNG vessel where an international crew were asked to identify how ICT affected their work, stress level and job satisfaction. While the crew are positive to the digitalization of their industry many feel that the un-involvement in the introduction of new systems on vessels causes them to feel insecure and in loss of control when operating said systems. The communication between ship and shore is both limited and repetitive causing the crew to experience a techno-overload, and the absence of career advancement affects the job satisfaction of the crew, minimizing the efficiency of the work. However, it is concluded that if a web-page is in place with both ship and shore accessing it, it will minimize the technostress experienced onboard as well as hardware systems being thoroughly tested and taught to the crew before implementation to the fleet.
Beskrivning
Ämne/nyckelord
technostress , ICT , digitalization , shipping 4.0 , techno-invasion , techno-complexity , techno-uncertainty , techno-insecurity , techno-overload , tanker-ships