Codefarers — the birth of new seafarers
The future of technology in shipping is bright, but despite this many feel that they are left in the shade. Sadly, all too often it is seafarers who feel that the promise of maritime informatics is leaving them behind. So what does the future of AI mean for those who go down to the sea in ships?
There are approximately 1.4 million seafarers in the world, I say approximately because it is likely there will be a few less even by the time you finish reading this article. Sadly, it seems that seafaring is not all it once was.
As a proud ship’s Captain myself it gives me no pleasure at all to say that. All the indications are that the impact of COVID has meant that crews are stuck onboard ships for far too long, and the old notions of shore leave have long since vanished.
The problem is that people and technology are always ideal bedfellows. Humans are a bit of a stumbling block in the digital transformation that companies are making. People are not as predictable as machines, and so they become seen as a weakness in the data gathering models.
So, for seafarers, the issues are particularly acute. The current job seems beset with all kinds of problems, and the future career options seem to consist of being replaced by a sensor and remote connectivity. This is not the stuff of good careers planning.
ALL AT SEA
The fact that seafarers are struggling to see where they fit into a future at sea is a huge potential problem, and it is one that the industry needs to nip in the bud…fast. Without the insight, instincts and rationale that seafarers have, then any journey into autonomy, and a bright digital future will be less than the sum of its parts.
Today we find that young people are being attracted to careers at sea, but as soon as they start training and are exposed to the industry, then they suddenly begin to question what their possible role can be.
We all talk of technology, and of all the wonder that will bring, but without really focusing on how important people are in that process. We need to change the debate, and focus on what the future of ships, the supply chain and ports, logistics, etc, etc will look like AND of where people will be in that.
So what can people do, be and drive forward in a shipping industry driven by data, sensors, maritime informatics, digitalisation and AI? What is the real role of humans with the machines?
CODED MESSAGES
The answer is that the machines still need people, but they just need slightly different people than we had before. There is a need to ensure good data, to ensure that reliable information exists across the entire supply chain, and the challenge of digitalisation is about harnessing and acting as a force multiplier for all that companies do.
People play a hugely important part in that, they really do make the difference. They provide the checks and balances, the logic where a machine may run amok, they are the soul of the decision-making process. We forget or sideline the human side of this technological revolution at our peril.
So that is where the seafarers of today come in, as they do have a bright future — it just may not be as easy to see at the moment as it should be. These are the people who have experience, they understand what the actual process of shipping is. They have seen the weather, the effect of rolling, the impact of all that it is to go to sea.
Seafarers, far from being past their sell-by date, are more important than ever. Just in a slightly different way. What they need is a chance to switch up their skills and knowledge. To become the seafarer of the future they need to become a “codefarer”.
A NEW KIND OF ROLE
Ok, so “codefarer” isn’t perhaps the best name for it, but bear with me. Let’s explore a little more about what skills people need to really ensure that shipping still has the benefit of the human view, but with the lessons being learned and shared digitally.
There is already a breed of seafarers who are very highly attuned to this kind of work. These are the Dynamic Positioning Operators, the DPOs, who act as almost guardians between the vessel and the computers which operate it.
They sense the movements, the patterns and the way in which the vessel will likely act, and they are managing the process. Monitoring all that goes on, and being part of the cyber seascape, a kind of shipboard cyborg.
Such seafarers know of the sensors, the processes, even the mathematics of the Kalman Filter as the computers seek to understand what the sea and wind are doing. These people are intuitively entwined with the ship and system, and if we can harness that kind of maritime learning and knowledge than it will be vital for the industry.
TRAINING FOR THE FUTURE
So, while there is a massively important role for heritage skills, the seafarers bushcraft if you like — knowing the stars, understanding a Sextant and appreciating that if you look out a window you can see things of interest and importance. Beyond the basic building blocks of these maritime skills what else should the seafarers of today be learning to ensure they are fit for the future?
So, let’s talk coding. To really engage with seafarers and develop their future skills we need to:
Define coding for crews — Coding is just the instructions making a computer do something through step-by-step commands. The goal with this code is for the computer to carry out what it’s being told in order to reach a specific outcome. So seafarers need to understand what the computer is told, as that is what the ship will do!
Talk about coding languages — There are specific ways coding communicates, and that’s the primary task of the coding language to give instructions to a computer. Different languages take many forms and functions, and we can start to make seafarers understand them.
Get seafarers engaged with coding — If officers could be told of the logic of the decisions vessels will make, then they can sense check them. It is vital that there is transparency in decision making, and of the instructions that key equipment onboard is receiving. This will help when/if we do get a fully autonomous global fleet.
Let's Embrace Coding — The professional bodies have a really important role here, and we need to get seafarers talking about coding. Learning and teaching through conversation is key, and will take some of the mystique away.
Make the move into coding — When people understand the importance of coding, they understand the language and the effect it has on their every day life, then it is time to roll the sleeves up and start with some foundational tasks. https://www.codecademy.com/ is a great place to start, and lots of different tutorials. Note to self: Perhaps we should design some ship specific ones… IFTT…If this happens, then we will have the careers of the future.
With these skills and this knowledge, suddenly time at sea now even makes sense for the future. By ensuring that seafarers can see a path forward then we will continue to see the young people and talent our industry needs.
