P&O Maritime begins fatigue management trial at Jebel Ali port

The solution selected – SmartCap from Wenco International Mining Systems, a wholly owned subsidiary of Hitachi Construction Machinery – has previously been used in the mining and trucking industries to eliminate safety incidents due to fatigue. P&O Maritime is testing the effectiveness of this technology in its first deployment in the maritime sector.

The wearable technology actively monitors real-time fatigue levels of employees, sensing when a worker has reduced ability to resist sleep. The system then activates an alert system, notifying the wearer to take action to prevent a safety incident. SmartCap works independently but has been designed to complement existing safety technologies and protocols common throughout heavy industry. Companies that have used SmartCap as part of their safety protocols have reported a significant decline in the number of fatigue-related incidents.

Embracing new and emerging technologies is part of the innovative mindset at P&O Maritime Logistics. Enacting practical digitalisation in its business is leading to disruptive change within the industry – both for customers and employees.

For example, the company has put digital first in its recent innovative offering, Supply on Demand, which has disrupted the status quo for moving cargo – reducing costs and boosting efficiency.  Through using technologies such as SmartCap, P&O Maritime Logistics is on the leading edge of implementing the next generation of operational excellence for its employees.

After the conclusion of the initial 90-day trial, P&O Maritime Logistics will assess the success of the system and how to integrate it across its entire network.

The SmartCap solution is intended to complement existing safety and fatigue management systems and protocols. Crew always have the right and responsibility to stop working if they ever feel too tired.

SmartCap also assists P&O Maritime Logistics in eliminating fatigue-related incidents through escalated intervention alarms that are customized to local fatigue management policies. The technology can be adapted to various vessel operating requirements, including crew work hours and rotations.

As a safety leader in the industry, P&O Maritime Logistics actively implements solutions that improve end-to-end safety in its own operations to ensure its customers benefit from services of the highest standard. Through the strategic engagement of SmartCap, P&O Maritime Logistics is continuing to make demonstrable gains in safety to cement its leadership position and validate this new approach to safety for the industry at large.