Maritime Aids’ Development for Emergency Purposes
M’AIDER is the second phase of the SOS project that mainly concerns those aspects of human error related to emergency situations which can be corrected by preparing a whole range of scenarios, simulating actual accidents, incidents and near-misses.
The intention is that the scenarios would lead to identifications of the causes of accidents and incidents and through training these causes will be removed.
The M’AIDER project proposal concerns transfer of innovation from existing reports concerning accidents and incidents for creation of a range of scenarios for application in simulators relating to emergency situation. In the recent meetings of IMO MSC a great deal of emphasis was placed on human elements, particularly how human errors have led to great loss of life and property. It has also been acknowledged that emergency situations and use of simulators have not been fully taken into consideration and that industry would immensely benefit from a user-friendly and accessible training tool and programme for its sea-going personnel focusing on emergency situations; the causes for this situation to arise and how they are handled.
In this proposal the intention is to gather the existing knowledge regarding accidents and incidents in a systematic manner throughout the partnership and break them into several categories preparing a knowledge-base of the selected scenarios, and train two pilot groups composed of those working on board vessels using advanced bridge, engine as well as integrated and full mission simulators. The intention is to video the scenarios as being implemented as a basis for visual training and feedback sessions in the training process. An existing software and internet platform will be used to transport these simulation trainings for greater access throughout the partnership as well as outside of it. The platforms have got facilities for e-learning as well as e-assessment for self-assessment. What makes this transfer of innovation unique is that it focuses on emergency situations and creates scenarios by categorising these situations, for instance, distinguishing between various types of violation and error types, including different types of mistakes and slips. The specific aims of this project are to:
- improve safety at sea and at ports by identifying emergency situations known so far and create a knowledge base of scenarios for training of seafarers at officer level and higher ranks,
- develop exercises based on scenarios created for application in bridge, engine room, propulsion areas as well as in integrated and full mission simulators,
- transfer the knowledge that already exists in the form of a software suite together with an existing internet e-learning/assessment to integrate the scenarios and exercises created based on aims 1 & 2.
