It will require further study of a larger ship
population to prove the point beyond contention,
but we already have evidence that the
new technology presents new hazards. There
is nothing wrong with the equipment. AIS,
for example, is an excellent tool. It seems,
however, that having the full picture may
tempt the bridge team to take greater risks
when avoiding potential collisions. There is a
temptation to accept narrow margins which
leave no room for error. There is then the danger
that vessels in close proximity fail to manoeuvre
as expected. We are moving from the
well-documented problem of ‘radar-assisted
collisions’ to a new phenomenon: deviation
from correct procedures simply because an
electronic display suggests that a manoeuvre
should be safe.
Safety margins exist to accommodate the
possibility of error or misunderstanding. People
need to be fully aware that ‘having the full