Technical support at sea: Quantifying its problems and examining possible solutions

Abstract

Digitalization has become increasingly prevalent in the work of seafarers, leading to major benefits. However, recent research indicates that the new digital environment brings its challenges, one being technical support. The aim of the report is to investigate the challenges and potential improvements in technical support onboard vessels within the context of the maritime industry's increasing digitalization. The research focuses on two main questions. Firstly, what is the magnitude of the identified problems in technical support onboard vessels? Secondly, which measures to improve the support function are preferred by seafarers? The results are primarily based on data collected in a survey, revealing insights into the current state of technical support at sea. Findings indicate that while technical support is not seen as a major problem, there are several areas of improvement. Issues such as inaccessible support, language barriers, and delays in response times exist. Seafarers express a preference for traditional communication methods, such as telephone and email, over modern alternatives such as chatbots and video calls. Additionally, having a dedicated contact person with knowledge and competence at the support company is emphasized as an important factor for improving support quality. It is suggested that improving existing support functions through increased competence and availability is important. Rather than relying solely on new technical solutions, enhancing the already existing traditional ones is essential for improving the support function in the maritime industry. In the report, IT support for administrative and operative technological systems on vessels is investigated from the perspective of the users, i.e., the crew. The scope is limited to support on vessels of shipping lines operating in Scandinavia.