Exploring non-technical miscommunication in vessel traffic service operation
Journal article, 2013

Vessel traffic services (VTS) are maritime traffic monitoring systems used in port approaches, confined or congested waters. VTS operators (VTSOs) monitor a specific geographical area and support and direct ships that sail through the area, primarily making the navigating officer or pilot of each ship aware of the current traffic situation, local weather and geographical conditions. We used an interactive mid-fidelity simulation as a knowledge eliciting tool to explore the work situation of VTSOs. During the simulation, VTSOs from a VTS centre in Sweden ran a scenario based on a normal traffic situation in their local fairway. Results indicate that the VTSOs, even though they are well aware of crucial events in the fairway, at times choose not to inform navigating officers or pilots of these safety aspects apart from when subject to protocol. The present paper put forward elements behind this form of miscommunication and presents results indicating that the major contributing factor is the VTSOs’ anticipation of negative attitudes between working groups participating in the VTS system and the lack of sufficient regulation with regard to the role and responsibilities of VTSOs.

Applied cognitive task analysis (ACTA)

Attitudes

Vessel Traffic Service (VTS)

Mid-fidelity Simulation

Author

Anders Brödje

Chalmers, Shipping and Marine Technology, Division of Maritime Operations

Monica Lundh

Chalmers, Shipping and Marine Technology, Division of Maritime Operations

Johan Jenvald

VSL Systems AB

Joakim Dahlman

Chalmers, Shipping and Marine Technology, Division of Maritime Operations

Cognition, Technology and Work

1435-5558 (ISSN) 1435-5566 (eISSN)

Vol. 15 3 347-357

Subject Categories

Production Engineering, Human Work Science and Ergonomics

Work Sciences

Psychology (excluding Applied Psychology)

Areas of Advance

Information and Communication Technology

Transport

Production

DOI

10.1007/s10111-012-0236-5

More information

Latest update

11/14/2019