AN EXPERT-SYSTEM FOR MARITIME PILOTS - ITS DESIGN AND ASSESSMENT USING GAMING

Increased maritime traffic, new types of vessels, and construction of oil and gas producing structures have made navigating in close waters more hazardous. In addition, attempts to increase shipboard productivi ty have resulted in fewer personnel on board the vessel. This paper re ports on the development and evaluation of a prototype expert system t o support the cognitive processes involved in piloting: maneuvering an d collision avoidance, and the practice of good seamanship. A model wa s constructed and implemented in a frame- and rule-based representatio n. The system was assessed using gaming with novice pilots in a mercha nt marine training facility. The results showed significant improvemen t in the bridge watch team performance, but no significant improvement in vessel performance in terms of trackkeeping. The paper concludes w ith a discussion of the motor, perceptual, and cognitive skills needed for piloting and how they could be supported by expert system technol ogy as part of an integrated bridge system, an operational center for navigational and supervisory tasks aboard a ship.