Recent crew casualties attributable to ship collisions have prompted calls for the mandatory adoption of advanced situational awareness technology to help prevent collisions, reduce fatalities, and improve operational safety at sea.
This follows the publication of the Marine Accident Investigations Board’s (MAIB) 2024 Annual Report, which noted: “We need to radically rethink the role of human watchkeepers in the digital age. Humans do not make good monitors, and if understimulated, they will find other things to occupy themselves.”
This was reinforced in MAIB's preliminary report on the Solong and Stena Immaculate incident in the North Sea, where the lack of real-time situational awareness contributed to the severity of events.
On March 10, the Portugal-registered container ship Solong collided with the anchored oil tanker Stena Immaculate near the Humber Estuary, rupturing a cargo tank and triggering a major fire. Thirty-six crew members were rescued; one seafarer remains missing and is presumed dead.
Sam Mayall, CEO of Zelim, the Edinburgh-headquartered maritime safety and security innovator, said: “By combining AI-powered cameras and real-time alerting, advanced technologies can help crews act faster, prevent incidents from escalating, and provide trusted records post-event. Beyond preventing collisions and man-overboard incidents, these systems can also provide critical forensic data to support investigations and regulatory compliance. Crucially, today’s situational awareness technology reduces reliance on human vigilance alone, allowing crews to focus where their judgement and experience matter most.”
According to Mayal, India has already taken decisive action to reduce the risk of collision and lives lost to man-overboard incidents. Earlier this year, its Directorate General of Shipping mandated CCTV systems on all domestic vessels of 500 GT and above, with full implementation required by 2028. The regulation specifies comprehensive camera placement, resolution standards, and integration with AI-based monitoring. It is designed not just for surveillance, but for proactive detection, tracking, and alerting to protect lives at sea.
“Voluntary measures are no longer enough. To strengthen safety and security at sea, global regulators must follow India’s lead and mandate advanced situational awareness solutions. Smarter ships result in a safer sea,” he said.
