The development of a shiphandling assessment tool (SAT): A methodology and an integrated approach to assess manoeuvring expertise in a full mission bridge simulator

While adopted in the maritime industry computer based assessment (CBA) has mainly been deployed to support multiple choice questionnaires (MCQ) or very basic desktop simulations.CBA is principally used for basic screenings at initial stages of personnel selection processes or for Certificate of Competency issuing purposes. The rudimentary efforts to use CBA, even when coupled with oral examinations remain insufficient to assess shiphandling competence due to the complexity of the tasks and responsibilities involved. Nor has a commonly accepted, validated and standardised tool been developed to assess shiphandling. This paper describes the development of a methodology able to obtain the assessment of shiphandlers’ outcomes while performing manoeuvres in a Full Mission Bridge Simulator. Variables and parameters used for the assessment are introduced and described even though, due to the limited space available for this paper, no results could be provided and discussed. It is believed that the approach herein presented, could pave the way for an assessment tool in the maritime transport which covers performance, physiological and cognitive measurements. The main aim of the research was to show how it was possible to collect objective measures able to discriminate among different levels of performance in a group of participants as an averaged result. Those results are thought to be valuable in terms of port operations risk assessments, new ports and infrastructure developments, and shiphandlers assessment and training.