Enhanced Shared Situational Awareness and Decision Support in Maritime Firefighting: Insights from the Overheat Project

Maritime fires on container ships are an important issue in global shipping operations involving numerous actors. In these scenarios, Shared Situational Awareness (SSA) plays a critical role. This paper examines the challenges of these incidents, emphasizing the prevalence of human error and the limitations of traditional fire detection and coordination methods. It applies Endsley's three-level model of Situational Awareness (SA) and proposes a model for SSA development specific to such emergencies. The Overheat Project is introduced, highlighting the development of a Digital Solution (DS) to address enhanced SSA through real-time data integration and a collaborative platform. This platform connects vessels and on-shore data systems, providing a common operational picture (COP) for all stakeholders involved in fire response. The architecture of the DS is described, outlining the onboard and ground-based components that facilitate seamless data exchange. The paper concludes by highlighting the potential benefits of this solution in improving fire safety and response capabilities on container ships.