Challenges for Seafarers Education and Training in the Context of Autonomous Ships Development

Abstract

Education and training of seafarers are defined in the provisions of the International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers (STCW Convention) and elaborated by the set of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) Model Courses. These documents represent minimum requirements for the education and training of seafarers at the international level. IMO member states shall integrate these requirements as appropriate into their maritime high school and college training programs and into training programs leading to STCW certification. Although there are different views in the literature and in practice about the existing seafarers training system, this system is standardized worldwide. This allows consistent acquisition of knowledge, skills, and competences for seafarers on merchant ships. The development and gradual introduction of autonomous ships raises numerous questions about the future trends of world shipping. Various researches are currently being conducted on autonomous ships. This technological progress brings with itself many challenges and one of them is the education of the personnel who will control and monitor these ships. It is clear that a new approach to seafarer’s education needs to be developed. The development of this concept opens numerous questions from different segments of shipping and maritime security in general, particularly in the context of maritime cyber security. The paper analyses the education concept for seafarers in the Republic of Croatia, paying special attention to trends related to the development and deployment of Maritime Autonomous Surface Ship (MASS).