SUGGESTED TECHNIQUE FOR DETERMINATION OF AN OPTIMUM LEVEL OF AUTOMATION

With the rising costs of labor, fuel, insurance and overall operating expenses for a ship owner/operator today it is evident that certain types of automation are necessary in order to stay competetive in the Maritime Industry. The problem he faces is what degree of automation should he employ to realize the maximum potential benefit in return for the resources expended; a decision problem which implies the selection of alternatives which have psychological, sociological and physical aspects which are in a state of uncertainty. This paper investigates the characteristics of the traditional three departments of shipboard operatins and then suggests a methodology of decision analysis for solving the automation decision problem. No attempt is made to apply dogmatically a set of rules to a situation that may not be susceptible to rules, nor to reliquish the decision making process to mathematical models. Factors are considered to which dollars cannot be attached in the realization that human judgment and intuition play an overwhelmingly significant roll. The value of the decision analysis presented is that it forces the decision maker to ask the right questions and focus attention for identifying the attractive strategies, the entire range of contingencies and the scope of possible outcomes, thus compelling the decision maker to spell out exactly his automation objectives and develop reasonably precise measures of degree of attainment.

• Supplemental Notes:
  • Proceedings of the 2nd International Ship Operation Automation Symposium, Washington, D.C., August 30-September 2, 1976. Proceedings expected to be available about December 1976.
• Corporate Authors:

  North-Holland Publishing Company

  52 Vanderbilt Avenue
  New York, NY  United States  10017

  Inter Fed of Auto Control/Inter Fed of Info Proc

  Washington, DC  United States 
• Authors:
  • MacLear, R J
• Conference:
  • Proceedings of the 2nd International Ship Operation Automation Symposium, Washington, D.C., August 30-September 2, 1976. Proceedings expected to be available about December 1976.
• Publication Date: 1976

Media Info

• Features: References;
• Pagination: p. 451-455
• Serial:
  • Volume: 5

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Automatic vessel control; Automation; Economic analysis; Economics; Ships; Voyage management systems
• Old TRIS Terms: Ship automation
• Subject Areas: Economics; Marine Transportation; Vehicles and Equipment;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00139926
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: North-Holland Publishing Company
• Report/Paper Numbers: Proceeding
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Oct 26 1976 12:00AM