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TECHNOLOGY - NAVAIDS
Integrated bridge
systems in a state of
continuous evolution
According to the Ergonomics Society, the origins of which go back to 1947, the term
ergonomics was first used by Wojciech Jastrzebowski in 1857. The word is derived from
Greek, ergon, work, and nomos, principles or laws. In its simplest definition, it is the
science of designing a workstation to be compatible with the worker. It embraces the
notion that each worker is physically unique and the physical work surroundings should
reflect each worker's uniqueness, reports Brian Warshaw.
SOLAS Chapter V,
Regulation 15,
Principles relating to
bridge design, design
and arrangements of navigational
systems and equipment and bridge
procedures requires owners, naval
architects, manufacturers and
administrations to ensure
compliance with specific
ergonomic principles; and for
owners and masters to ensure that
bridge procedures are adopted
which take ergonomic criteria into
consideration. Equally, there is a
requirement that integrated bridge
systems (IBS) should be
organised so that the failure of
one sub-system is brought to the
immediate attention of the officer
in charge of the navigational
watch, using both audible and
visual alarms, and that it does not
cause failure to any other subsystem.
In the event of failure in
one part of an integrated
navigational system (INS), it must
be possible to operate all other
individual items of equipment or
part of the system, separately.
The UK's Maritime and
Coastguard Agency (MCA) has
stated that the IMO's document
MSC.Circ/982 relating to the
ergonomically designed bridge
equipment and layout is for
guidance only, and that in order
to comply, it is necessary to
follow ISO 8468 and, if
applicable, ISO 14642.
Det Norsk Veritas maintains that
approximately half of all accidents
at sea can be related to navigation
bridge system failures, causing
collision, grounding, or contact
damages. It's NAUT-OC notation
is the minimum of its
requirements to ensure that the
bridge has been designed for
reduced workload and improved
operational conditions. It also
stipulates that the bridge layout
should provide the information
and equipment required for safe
performance of the functions to be
carried out at dedicated
workstations; and that the working
conditions must allow the officer
of the watch to perform all
primary bridge functions,
including lookout, from one
workstation when sailing in ocean
and coastal waters.
'The bridge environment',
according to Øystein Andreassen,
'is a constellation of the human,
the technical system and the
physical environment acting
together.' Andreassen is a
principal engineer, working in
business development, with
Kongsberg Marine of Norway.
His involvement in control
systems in the marine
environment has encompassed the
past 25 years, and since 1996, he
has been directly concerned with
the engineering of bridge systems.
The ergonomy of the bridge is
not just a question of equipment
Kongsberg's IBS' are compliant with class rules.
and functions; but is also about
factors such as fields of vision,
interior colours and lights,
ventilation and other aspects that
have to do with the construction
of the bridge itself, Andreassen
told TANKEROperator.
'Yet the equipment and design
are not the only factors to
consider.' he explained. 'For safe
operation, it is also essential that
the crew develops good procedures
for navigation and manoeuvring.
It is the reason that we encourage
them to be trained to work as a
team in stressed situations.'
Andreassen said that the
current trend in bridge design was
towards more and more systems
being computerised or, at the very
least, to have a display with a
mouse user interface. At the
same time, bridges are more often
being designed for seated
operators, and this creates another
challenge for equipment
manufacturers, requiring more
equipment to be located within a
smaller area. Kongsberg's
response to this demand for
smaller panels and multifunctional
displays is the K-
Bridge navigation system, which
includes the extra facilities
needed to control auxiliary
functions like window wipers,
deck lights, signal lights,
navigation lights, and ventilation,
directly from the bridge displays.
Kongsberg's bridge systems are
compliant with classification
societies' rules for nautical safety
class notations. In addition,
Andreassen said that the company
March 2007 • TANKEROperator 33