Overreliance on ECDIS technology: A challenge for safe navigation

The Electronic Chart Display and Information System (ECDIS) became the central navigational tool on modern ships. The system comprises numerous navigational and other components, each of them with its limitations and reliability. Due to ECDIS's revolutionary features, navigators are tempted to place excessive reliance on the system. Such reliance on it as a sole navigational aid is undoubtedly a problematic issue. The proposed paper is a segment of a systematically carried out research among ECDIS stakeholders. ECDIS EHO (Experience, Handling, and Opinion) research aims through research activities based on a user-centred approach to develop and improve the educational framework. The overreliance on the ECDIS system motivated the proposed research, which focused on system users' opinions and practice regarding confirmation of the accuracy of information displayed on ECDIS, particularly concerning positional sensors. Analysis of answers collected by the ECDIS EHO questionnaire represents a backbone of the research supported by previous achievements. The answers have been categorized and discussed, revealing certain worrying aspects referring to the system's positional error experienced by users. Furthermore, preferred methods of cross-checking ECDIS information have been identified and have differed among respondents based on their rank on board. Additionally, answers indicate certain doubts between users’ interpretation of the best confirmation method and the actual selection of the used method. The importance of cross-checking navigational data in avoiding overreliance and maintaining situational awareness has been presented in the conclusion chapter and the proposal for further work.