Seaways All hands on tech - August 2026
Have we really closed the gap?
by Sanny Shamoun
I recently took part in a project that brought together researchers, industry representatives and seafarers with the explicit ambition of applying humancentred design principles. On paper, it was exactly the sort of project that human factors specialists have been advocating for over 30 years. Yet I still observed some familiar challenges.
During simulator testing, the product engineers were not present to observe how end users interacted with the product they were developing. I found that surprising. Surely one of the greatest opportunities for learning is to watch what people actually do, where they struggle, what they misunderstand and how they work around design limitations? I also sensed an underlying view that involving end users takes time, costs money and slows development. Nobody said that seafarers should not be involved. But there seemed to be an ongoing tension between understanding users and delivering products quickly.
Perhaps the most thought-provoking discussion I had was with a human factors specialist employed by the company. Her frustration was not that we lacked research - quite the opposite. She felt that much of the evidence already exists. We know a great deal about human capabilities, limitations, workload, decision-making and system design. Her concern was that management often believed they knew better, or that commercial realities overruled what the research was telling them. With more than 20 years left before retirement, she told me that she did not believe maritime technology would achieve genuine human-centred design during her working lifetime. And I am not certain I disagree.
Progress in research has always been measured in years, sometimes decades. But matters look very different on deck. We often discuss technology as a solution to future challenges, including recruitment and retention. Yet if technology introduces frustration, increases workload or creates barriers to effective work, are we making the profession more attractive or less?
The STEER review highlights many examples of seafarers embracing technology when it genuinely supports their work and wellbeing. The willingness to engage is clearly there. Better connectivity, improved navigation systems, enhanced monitoring and decision-support tools all have the potential to improve safety, efficiency and wellbeing, bringing benefits for all stakeholders.
The review also highlights recurring issues that have been discussed for years. Systems intended to reduce workload sometimes increase it. Alarms intended to improve safety become distractions. Automation changes work rather than removing it. Training struggles to keep pace with technological development. The opportunity is enormous – but so is the risk of repeating old mistakes.
After more than three decades, human factors research is still asking many of the same fundamental questions. But perhaps the challenge is not a lack of human factors knowledge. Perhaps the challenge is converting that knowledge into every day practice.
Please join our conversation at www.nautinst.org/steer-project.html as we #ListenToSeafarers.