Augmented Communication — AI-Powered Situational Awareness for Vessels

What is Augmented Communication?

Augmented Communication is a paradigm shift in maritime crew communication. Instead of broadcasting raw alerts to all crew members, the system uses AI to analyse each situation and deliver tailored, role-specific notifications that explain:

1. The situation: What happened and where
2. The complication: Why this matters and what risks are involved
3. The required action: What this specific crew member needs to do based on their role
4. Collaboration context: Who else is involved and how to coordinate
5. Resolution tracking: Automated journaling of all actions taken until resolution

Why Maritime Operations Need Augmented Communication

On a vessel with 100–3000+ crew members, a single medical emergency, fire alarm, or security incident triggers a cascade of responses across departments. Traditional systems either over-alert (creating noise and fatigue) or under-inform (leaving critical responders without context).

Augmented Communication solves both problems: the bridge team sees navigation implications, the medical team sees patient protocols, the safety officer sees compliance requirements — all from the same incident, all automatically contextualised.

Use Case: Medical Incident on a Cruise Ship

A passenger collapses in the restaurant on Deck 7. Here is how Augmented Communication handles this:

How Augmented Communication Works Technically

Shipwize's Augmented Communication engine combines several inputs to generate contextualised messages:

• Crew roster & role definitions: Position, department, qualification level, watch schedule
• Vessel topology: Deck plans, safety equipment locations, muster stations
• Incident type classification: Medical, fire, security, environmental, operational
• AI language model: Generates natural-language, role-specific instructions
• Resolution workflow: Tracks acknowledgements, actions taken, and escalations

Benefits of Augmented Communication

• Reduces alert fatigue by filtering irrelevant notifications per role
• Accelerates incident response time through clear, actionable instructions
• Creates complete, IMO-compliant incident journals automatically
• Improves crew coordination across departments without radio noise
• Works fully offline — no internet dependency for AI processing

FAQ

What is Augmented Communication in maritime?

Augmented Communication is a role-based, AI-supported messaging approach that automatically contextualises alerts and incidents for each crew member based on their position and responsibilities. It reduces information overload and accelerates incident resolution.

Does Augmented Communication replace traditional bridge communication?

No. Augmented Communication complements existing communication channels. VHF, intercom, and bridge-to-bridge communication remain in place. Shipwize adds a layer of contextualised, role-specific messaging for operational coordination.

Does the AI in Augmented Communication need internet access?

No. Shipwize's AI engine runs locally on the vessel's server infrastructure. All incident analysis, message generation, and notification routing happens onboard without any cloud dependency.

Can Augmented Communication be customised per vessel?

Yes. Each vessel configures its own role definitions, department structures, deck topology, and alert escalation chains. The AI adapts its output to the specific vessel configuration.

How does Augmented Communication handle multiple simultaneous incidents?

Each incident is tracked independently with its own resolution workflow and journal. Crew members see prioritised notifications based on severity and their assigned role in each incident.