New research from Lloyd’s Register (LR) has revealed that excessive and unruly shipboard alarm systems are routinely overburdening crew and, in many cases, actively undermining safety at sea.
The findings, published today effective alarm management in the marine industry These are based on data collected from 11 operational ships, spanning over 2,000 days and more than 40 million alarm-related events.
Studies show that many ships generate thousands of alarms every day, many of which provide little or no operational value. The result is widespread alarm fatigue, disrupted rest periods, and a growing erosion of confidence in the systems that are intended to protect both crew and property.
The research applied recognized industry best practice including IEC 62682 and EEMUA 191 for marine operations for the first time at this scale. It found that less than half of the ships studied met the recommended benchmark of fewer than 30 alarms per hour, while on ships with unattended machinery alarms disrupted 63% of rest periods. In some cases, cruise ships experienced up to 2,600 alarms per day, with the maximum rate reaching 4,691 alarms in just ten minutes.
Crews, overwhelmed by the volume of alerts, are forced to silence alarms without acknowledgment or physically bypass alarm circuits, normalizing unsafe practices and reducing confidence in critical safety systems.
Effective alarm management in the maritime industry: insights from 40 million vessel alarms is formed on LR Effective Alarm Management in the Marine Industry Report (Releasing in September 2024) Moving beyond diagnostics to demonstrate what can be achieved in practice. A pilot project on an operational cruise ship reduced the total number of alarms by approximately 50 percent over a six-month period, without new technology or major system redesign. Improvements were made through traditional marine engineering interventions, including correcting valve installation, replacing faulty sensors, and tuning existing systems.
LR’s analysis also shows that addressing the 10 most frequent alarms can reduce the total load by about 40 percent.
The report calls for greater adoption of objective alarm performance assessment, stronger consideration of human factors in system design and operation throughout the ship’s lifecycle, and a regulatory framework supporting consistent, enforceable standards.
Duncan Duffy, LR’s global technology head, said: “Our research found that alarm systems, when poorly managed, become a security risk themselves. Without decisive industry action, alarm fatigue will continue to weaken situational awareness and increase the likelihood of serious incidents.
“If the maritime industry is serious about safety, it must commit to continuous performance measurement, objective evaluation and a human-centred approach to alarm system design. Only then can alarm systems fulfill their intended purpose – supporting the crew, safeguarding life and ensuring safe travel for all.”
is part of the research LR’s Digital Transformation Research ProgramSpecifically designed to provide in-depth analysis of the key opportunities and challenges for maritime digitalisation.
For more information and to download the full report, visit the link below:
LR alarm management
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