Scheduled to run for three years, The OCEAN project (the Operator-Centred Enhancement of Awareness in Navigation) is entering its final phase having already published a number of downloads, presentations and free training videos that are already making an impact on the navigational safety of vessels. The project is funded by the European Union and UKRI and comprises members from seven European Countries: Norway; Greece; Spain; Denmark; Portugal; Ireland; and the UK.
By taking a holistic approach to navigational safety which encompasses training, the usability of technology, processes and procedures, human centred design and commercial pressures, the project hopes to identify factors that can influence outcomes but also shed light on actions that can be practically implemented to improve navigational and situational awareness.
Furthermore, the project seeks to address issues that go beyond collisions and grounding of vessels and investigate and research ways to ways to mitigate whale strikes and track lost and floating containers.
A key element of the OCEAN Project’s work is the development of the European Navigational Hazard Infrastructure (EHNI) which brings together hazard data from all streams, into a single entity to facilitate easier access to information for navigators. The OCEAN Project has developed an app, currently in beta testing, which will allow all seafarers to add sightings of whales or containers into a database. This will allow hazard information to be shared throughout the maritime community at close to real-time. The project is also open to exchanging data with similar initiatives to further enhance navigational safety.
As it moves into its final year, the OCEAN Project can look back on what has already been achieved while wrapping up its research and implementing its planned initiatives. Meanwhile the project welcomes dialogue and feedback from stakeholders throughout the maritime sector – more information can be found on the OCEAN Project website, https://ocean-navigation-awareness.eu/ , and also in a recent article published in the Comité International Radio-Maritime (CIRM) magazine, Spotlight. https://ocean-navigation-awareness.eu/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Ocean-Project-article-from-CIRM-Spotlight-June-2024.pdf
