Digitalization of Seafarer’s Book for Authentication and e-Navigation

Abstract

Currently, the crew working on a ship is required to carry a seafarer's book in most countries around the world, including the Republic of Korea (ROK). Yet, many fishermen working in the international waters of the ROK do not abide by this rule as the procedure of obtaining it is rather inconvenient or they do not understand the necessity or the benefits of having it. Also, as the regulation of carrying the certificate has been strengthened, it is important for them to avoid making a criminal record unintentionally. This study discusses the digitalization of the seafarer’s book based on several security measures in addition to BLE Beacon-based positioning technology, which can be useful for the e-Navigation. Normally, seamen’s certificates are recorded by the captain, medical institution, or issuing authority and then kept in an onboard safe or a certificate cabinet. The material of the certificates is a cloth that can withstand salinity as the certificate could be contaminated by mold. In the past, the captains and their crews were uncooperative when the ROK’s maritime police tried to inspect several ships simultaneously because of the time and cost involved. Thus, a system with which the maritime police will be able to conveniently manage the crews is proposed.