Alarm overload is undermining safety at sea as new research shows crews face tens of thousands of daily alerts. Analysis of more than 40 million alarm-related events shows most alarms offer little operational value, disrupt rest and push crews toward risky workarounds.
New research from Lloyd’s Register (LR) has revealed that excessive and nuisance shipboard alarm systems are routinely overwhelming crews and, in many cases, actively undermining safety at sea. The findings, published today (20 January) in the report “Effective Alarm Management in the Maritime Industry” are based on data collected from eleven operational vessels, spanning over 2000 days and more than 40 million alarm-related events.
The study shows that many ships generate thousands of alarms every day, many of which provide little or no operational value. The result is widespread alarm fatigue, disrupted rest periods and a growing erosion of trust in systems that are intended to protect both crews and assets.
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Peak rates of 4691 alarms in ten minutes
The research applied recognised industrial best practice, including IEC 62682 and EEMUA 191, to maritime operations for the first time at this scale. It found that fewer than half of the vessels studied met the recommended benchmark of fewer than thirty alarms per hour, while on ships with unattended machinery spaces alarms disrupted 63 per cent of rest periods. In some cases, cruise ships experienced up to 2600 alarms per day, with peak rates reaching 4691 alarms in just ten minutes.
Crews, overwhelmed by the volume of alerts, are forced to silence alarms without acknowledgement or physically bypass alarm circuits, normalising unsafe practices and eroding trust in critical safety systems.
Improvements through traditional marine engineering
“Effective Alarm Management in the Maritime Industry: Insights from 40 million vessel alarms” builds on LR’s “Effective Alarm Management in the Maritime Industry” report (released in September 2024) by moving beyond diagnosis to demonstrate what can be achieved in practice.
A pilot project on an operational cruise ship reduced total alarm numbers by almost fifty per cent over a six-month period, without new technology or major system redesign. Improvements were delivered through traditional marine engineering interventions, including correcting valve installations, replacing faulty sensors and tuning existing systems.
LR’s analysis also demonstrates that addressing the ten most frequent alarms could reduce overall loads by nearly forty per cent.
Also read: Alarm fatigue: Up to 74 alarms on the ship’s bridge per hour
Objective alarm performance assessment
The report calls for greater adoption of objective alarm performance assessment, stronger consideration of human factors in system design and operation throughout the vessel lifecycle, and regulatory frameworks that support consistent, enforceable standards.
Duncan Duffy, LR’s Global Head of Technology: ‘Our research found that alarm systems, when poorly managed, have themselves become a safety risk. Without decisive industry action, alarm fatigue will continue to undermine situational awareness and increase the likelihood of serious incidents.’
‘If the maritime industry is serious about safety, it must commit to continuous performance measurement, objective evaluation, and a human-centred approach to alarm system design,’ he adds. ‘Only then can alarm systems fulfil their intended purpose — supporting crews, safeguarding lives, and ensuring safer voyages for all.’
Digital Transformation Research programme
The research is part of LR’s Digital Transformation Research programme, specifically designed to provide in-depth analysis of key opportunities and challenges for maritime digitalisation.
Picture by LR.
Also read: Seafarers tempted to silence bridge warnings due to ‘alarm fatigue’
