From Seafarers to E-farers: Maritime Cadets’ Perceptions Towards Seafaring Jobs in the Industry 4.0

Abstract

Efforts to implement the concept of autonomous transport in the shipping industry are currently underway with the introduction of Maritime Autonomous Surface Ship (MASS), which is expected to usher in a new paradigm in maritime trade. However, this requires a stable supply of highly qualified seafarers. Predicting the changes necessary for seafarer education and training in the MASS era is pivotal for the safe and efficient development and operation of autonomous ships. The present study conducted a survey using Q methodology on fourth year students of the Korea Maritime and Ocean University (KMOU), to examine their perceptions towards changes in ship organizations, and the competency of seafarers required in the MASS era. From the analysis, we extracted three unique clusters of cadets’ perceptions towards new competencies with the introduction of MASS: “the traditional seafarers’ centric role retainer”, the “ship organizational structure domain achiever”, and the “new technical competences builder”. The emerging findings can predict the educational needs and new competences of seafarers in the MASS era, as well as support managerial implications. These results are expected to serve in establishing the future direction of seafarer education and training in both private and public organisations.

Challenges of maritime human resource management for the transition to shipping digitalization

“…In addition, researchers have also examined the awareness of students pursuing maritime-related degrees regarding autonomous shipping. Survey research by Jo et al (2020) examined the perceptions of students of the Korea Maritime and Ocean University regarding the possible competency-based changes of seafaring jobs due to MASS development. Although there were differences among the opinions of participants, the overall outcome of the research was that significant changes will occur in needed competences with regards to MASS development.…”

“…The results would be diversified in the case that a larger number of operating tasks on board could be automated. Jo and D'agostini (2020) conducted scenario-based research examining four different scenarios between 2018 and 2035, to assess the possible effects of maritime autonomous surface ships (MASS) on the maritime workforce in Korea. They estimated that, although some seafaring jobs will be lost due to automation, there will be a significant increase in shore-based jobs leading to a positive impact in the sector's employment.…”

Advanced learning methods in maritime education and training: A bibliometric analysis on the digitalization of education and modern trends

“…While there exists a substantial number of research studies across various levels, methods, and topics, it is not feasible to examine them individually within the scope of this study. Nevertheless, the findings suggest that these articles have contributed to the development of the field, albeit they cannot be evaluated collectively under a single framework [1, 17, 18, 24, 29, 34, 37, 41, 45, 48, 49, 55, 56, 61, 64, 73, 75, 78, 83, 89, 95, 100, 106, 111, 115, 116, 119, 122, 124, 126, 129, 130, 132, 137, 138, 143, 144, 149–151, 153–156, 162, 165, 167, 170, 171].…”

Challenges for the Education and Training of Seafarers in the Context of Autonomous Shipping: Bibliometric Analysis and Systematic Literature Review

“…Some emphasize the potential of autonomous technologies to improve safety at sea, while others express concerns about job losses and reduced human control. A survey performed by Jo et al [87] explores maritime cadets' views on the changing occupational landscape for seafarers as a result of MASS. The survey highlights the need for proactive adaptations in maritime education to meet the evolving demands of the MASS era.…”