Influence of watchkeeping experience on workload during ship manoeuvring simulations

Abstract

This study examined the influence of maritime watchkeeping experience on workload during simulated navigation tasks of varying complexity. Naval officers with different levels of experience participated in a full-mission bridge simulator and were divided into two groups. Perceived workload, eye movement and heart rate measures were collected. Results showed that experienced officers reported lower increases in NASA-TLX scores (up to 84.4%) compared with moderately experienced officers, whose workload rose markedly during collision avoidance under time pressure (up to 127.0%). Eye-tracking data indicated more efficient visual search among experienced officers, reflected in shorter fixation durations and fewer revisits, whereas the moderate group showed prolonged fixations under complex tasks. Heart rate variability suggested that experienced officers responded more strongly to risks, while the moderate group may have underestimated hazards. These findings highlight the value of combining subjective and objective indicators to evaluate workload and inform training in maritime education.