Erik Aleksander Veitch

About

What does the future of maritime transportation look like? Highly automated ships will enhance transportation capabilities, but how to we ensure they are safe, reliable, and trustworthy for real-world operations?

I am co-founder and Scientific Manager of the NTNU Shore Control Lab at Nyhavna, where we are designing the future of maritime transportation.

Our work focuses on interfaces and remote operations for improved situation awareness of highly automated ships.

Some highlights:

Project manager NRC project "Autoteaming" (2023-2027), co-supervising two PhDs
Defended PhD entitled "Designing for Land-based Control of Autonomous Ships" in 2023
"Design Group Lead" in the Autoferry project (2018-2023), whose mission was to build the world's first urban autonomous ferry (see the video of the maiden voyage from 2022)
Co-supervised many Master's students from ID and IDI. Examples inlcude design of the "milliAmpere2" autonomous ferry, design of autonomous ferry docks, and development of the open-source autonomous ferry simulator Gemini.

Background:

PhD in Industrial Design Engineering from NTNU, thesis entitled "Designing for Land-based Control of Autonomous Ships" (2023)
Master's Degree in Ocean and Naval Architectural Engineering from Memorial Unversity of Newfoundland (2018)
Four years of industry experience in naval architecture, marine hydrodynamics, and marine technology development in Canada, UK, and USA (2016)

Erik Veitch on ResearchGate

Publications

2025

Eide, Egil Sverre; Breivik, Morten; Brekke, Edmund Førland; Eriksen, Bjørn-Olav Holtung; Wilthil, Erik Falmår; Helgesen, Øystein Kaarstad. (2025) The Autonomous Urban Passenger Ferry milliAmpere2: Design and Testing. Journal of Offshore Mechanics and Arctic Engineering
Academic article
Veitch, Erik Aleksander; Sitompul, Taufik Akbar; Alsos, Ole Andreas. (2025) Dataset on passenger experience after riding an autonomous ferry. Data in Brief
Academic article
Alsos, Ole Andreas; Saghafian, Mina; Veitch, Erik Aleksander; Sitompul, Taufik Akbar; Petermann, Felix-Marcel; Papachristou, Eleftherios. (2025) Mind the Kayak! Informing UX Design of Autonomous Vehicles through Edge Case Testing in the Field. Association for Computing Machinery (ACM)
Academic chapter/article/Conference paper

2024

Alsos, Ole Andreas; Steen-Johnsen, Ferdinand; Veitch, Erik Aleksander. (2024) Exploring Coastal Norway: An Interactive Approach to Enhance Educational Tourism on Cruises. NTNU
Masters thesis
Meland, Ådne; Veitch, Erik Aleksander; Petermann, Felix-Marcel. (2024) Design Research and Concept of Silent Alarms. NTNU
Masters thesis
Alsos, Ole Andreas; Saghafian, Mina; Veitch, Erik Aleksander; Petermann, Felix-Marcel; Sitompul, Taufik Akbar; Park, Jooyoung. (2024) Erfaringer fra prøvedriften av en selvkjørende byferge: Implikasjoner og anbefalinger for en selvkjørende fergetjeneste i Trondheim . Norges teknisk-naturvitenskapelige universitet Norges teknisk-naturvitenskapelige universitet
Report
Aarset, Lars Bugge; Alsos, Ole Andreas; Veitch, Erik Aleksander; Gusev, Alexey. (2024) Remotely Controlled Ferry Demonstrated at Nyhavna – Successful Test of Groundbreaking Technology.
Website (informational material)
Cheng, Tingting; Veitch, Erik Aleksander; Utne, Ingrid Bouwer; Ramos, Marilia Abilio; Mosleh, Ali; Alsos, Ole Andreas. (2024) Analysis of human errors in human-autonomy collaboration in autonomous ships operations through shore control experimental data. Reliability Engineering & System Safety
Academic article
Veitch, Erik Aleksander; Alsos, Ole Andreas; Saghafian, Mina; Petermann, Felix-Marcel; Sitompul, Taufik Akbar; Park, Jooyoung. (2024) Dataset on passenger acceptance during autonomous ferry public trials: Questionnaires and interviews. Data in Brief
Academic article
Petermann, Felix-Marcel; Alsos, Ole Andreas; Veitch, Erik Aleksander; Eide, Egil Sverre; Breivik, Morten. (2024) Touchpoints and systems for unmanned autonomous urban ferry operation. Journal of Physics: Conference Series (JPCS)
Academic article
Veitch, Erik Aleksander; Alsos, Ole Andreas. (2024) Boredom, vigilance, and repetition during remote control room work for autonomous ships. Journal of Physics: Conference Series (JPCS)
Academic article
Veitch, Erik Aleksander; Alsos, Ole Andreas; Cheng, Tingting; Senderud, Kristine; Utne, Ingrid Bouwer. (2024) Human factor influences on supervisory control of remotely operated and autonomous vessels. Ocean Engineering
Academic article
Alsos, Ole Andreas; Saghafian, Mina; Veitch, Erik; Petermann, Felix-Marcel; Sitompul, Taufik Akbar; Park, Jooyoung. (2024) Lessons learned from the trial operation of an autonomous urban passenger ferry. Transportation Research Interdisciplinary Perspectives (TRIP)
Academic article

2023

Soper, Jonathan; Veitch, Erik Aleksander; Thistle, Rebecca; Smith, Jennifer; Veitch, Brian. (2023) An Analysis of Factors Influencing Ice Management Performance in an Experimental Marine Simulator and Their Application to Decision Support System Design. Journal of Offshore Mechanics and Arctic Engineering
Academic article
Veitch, Erik Aleksander; Alsos, Ole Andreas. (2023) Gorillas on a boat: Inattentional blindness during supervisory control of autonomous vessels. Journal of Physics: Conference Series (JPCS)
Academic article

2022

Brekke, Edmund Førland; Eide, Egil; Eriksen, Bjørn-Olav Holtung; Wilthil, Erik Falmår; Breivik, Morten; Skjellaug, Even. (2022) milliAmpere: An Autonomous Ferry Prototype. Journal of Physics: Conference Series (JPCS)
Academic article
Hoem, Åsa Snilstveit; Veitch, Erik Aleksander; Vasstein, Kjetil. (2022) Human-centred risk assessment for a land-based control interface for an autonomous vessel. WMU Journal of Maritime Affairs (JoMA)
Academic article
Alsos, Ole Andreas; Veitch, Erik Aleksander; Pantelatos, Leander Spyridon; Vasstein, Kjetil; Eide, Egil; Petermann, Felix-Marcel. (2022) NTNU Shore Control Lab: Designing shore control centres in the age of autonomous ships. Journal of Physics: Conference Series (JPCS)
Academic article
Veitch, Erik Aleksander; Christensen, Kim Alexander; Log, Markus Metallinos; Valestrand, Erik Thule; Hilmo Lundheim, Sigurd; Nesse, Martin. (2022) From captain to button-presser: operators’ perspectives on navigating highly automated ferries. Journal of Physics: Conference Series (JPCS)
Academic article
Veitch, Erik Aleksander; Dybvik, Henrikke; Steinert, Martin; Alsos, Ole Andreas. (2022) Collaborative Work with Highly Automated Marine Navigation Systems. Computer Supported Cooperative Work (CSCW)
Academic article
Mallam, Steven; Nordby, Kjetil; Van de Merwe, Gertjan Koen; Veitch, Erik Aleksander; Nazir, Salman; Veitch, Brian. (2022) Empathy from Afar? Towards Empathy for Future Maritime Designers and Remote Operators. Proceedings of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society Annual Meeting.
Academic article
Hanssen, Mikael Røsbak; Dahl, Yngve; Alsos, Ole Andreas; Veitch, Erik Aleksander. (2022) Developing a video game for research and prototyping of unmanned maritime vessels. NTNU
Masters thesis
Fossum, Knut Robert; Honoré-Livermore, Evelyn; Veitch, Erik Aleksander; Haskins, Cecilia; Palmer, Erika. (2022) Toward an integrated project complexity narrative – A case study of academic organizations. Systems Engineering
Academic article
Veitch, Erik Aleksander; Alsos, Ole Andreas. (2022) A systematic review of human-AI interaction in autonomous ship systems. Safety Science
Academic article

2021

Honoré-Livermore, Evelyn; Fossum, Knut Robert; Veitch, Erik Aleksander. (2021) Academics' perception of systems engineering and applied research projects. Systems Engineering
Academic article
Veitch, Erik; Alsos, Ole Andreas. (2021) Human-centered explainable artificial intelligence for marine autonomous surface vehicles. Journal of Marine Science and Engineering (JMSE)
Academic article
Veitch, Erik Aleksander; Kaland, Thomas Colin Guo; Alsos, Ole Andreas. (2021) Design for Resilient Human-System Interaction in Autonomy: The Case of a Shore Control Centre for Unmanned Ships. Proceedings of the Design Society
Academic article

2020

Dybvik, Henrikke; Veitch, Erik Aleksander; Steinert, Martin. (2020) Exploring Challenges with Designing and Developing Shore Control Centres (SCCs) for Autonomous Ships. Proceedings of the Design Society: DESIGN Conference
Academic article

Journal publications

Eide, Egil Sverre; Breivik, Morten; Brekke, Edmund Førland; Eriksen, Bjørn-Olav Holtung; Wilthil, Erik Falmår; Helgesen, Øystein Kaarstad. (2025) The Autonomous Urban Passenger Ferry milliAmpere2: Design and Testing. Journal of Offshore Mechanics and Arctic Engineering
Academic article
Veitch, Erik Aleksander; Sitompul, Taufik Akbar; Alsos, Ole Andreas. (2025) Dataset on passenger experience after riding an autonomous ferry. Data in Brief
Academic article
Cheng, Tingting; Veitch, Erik Aleksander; Utne, Ingrid Bouwer; Ramos, Marilia Abilio; Mosleh, Ali; Alsos, Ole Andreas. (2024) Analysis of human errors in human-autonomy collaboration in autonomous ships operations through shore control experimental data. Reliability Engineering & System Safety
Academic article
Veitch, Erik Aleksander; Alsos, Ole Andreas; Saghafian, Mina; Petermann, Felix-Marcel; Sitompul, Taufik Akbar; Park, Jooyoung. (2024) Dataset on passenger acceptance during autonomous ferry public trials: Questionnaires and interviews. Data in Brief
Academic article
Petermann, Felix-Marcel; Alsos, Ole Andreas; Veitch, Erik Aleksander; Eide, Egil Sverre; Breivik, Morten. (2024) Touchpoints and systems for unmanned autonomous urban ferry operation. Journal of Physics: Conference Series (JPCS)
Academic article
Veitch, Erik Aleksander; Alsos, Ole Andreas. (2024) Boredom, vigilance, and repetition during remote control room work for autonomous ships. Journal of Physics: Conference Series (JPCS)
Academic article
Veitch, Erik Aleksander; Alsos, Ole Andreas; Cheng, Tingting; Senderud, Kristine; Utne, Ingrid Bouwer. (2024) Human factor influences on supervisory control of remotely operated and autonomous vessels. Ocean Engineering
Academic article
Alsos, Ole Andreas; Saghafian, Mina; Veitch, Erik; Petermann, Felix-Marcel; Sitompul, Taufik Akbar; Park, Jooyoung. (2024) Lessons learned from the trial operation of an autonomous urban passenger ferry. Transportation Research Interdisciplinary Perspectives (TRIP)
Academic article
Soper, Jonathan; Veitch, Erik Aleksander; Thistle, Rebecca; Smith, Jennifer; Veitch, Brian. (2023) An Analysis of Factors Influencing Ice Management Performance in an Experimental Marine Simulator and Their Application to Decision Support System Design. Journal of Offshore Mechanics and Arctic Engineering
Academic article
Veitch, Erik Aleksander; Alsos, Ole Andreas. (2023) Gorillas on a boat: Inattentional blindness during supervisory control of autonomous vessels. Journal of Physics: Conference Series (JPCS)
Academic article
Brekke, Edmund Førland; Eide, Egil; Eriksen, Bjørn-Olav Holtung; Wilthil, Erik Falmår; Breivik, Morten; Skjellaug, Even. (2022) milliAmpere: An Autonomous Ferry Prototype. Journal of Physics: Conference Series (JPCS)
Academic article
Hoem, Åsa Snilstveit; Veitch, Erik Aleksander; Vasstein, Kjetil. (2022) Human-centred risk assessment for a land-based control interface for an autonomous vessel. WMU Journal of Maritime Affairs (JoMA)
Academic article
Alsos, Ole Andreas; Veitch, Erik Aleksander; Pantelatos, Leander Spyridon; Vasstein, Kjetil; Eide, Egil; Petermann, Felix-Marcel. (2022) NTNU Shore Control Lab: Designing shore control centres in the age of autonomous ships. Journal of Physics: Conference Series (JPCS)
Academic article
Veitch, Erik Aleksander; Christensen, Kim Alexander; Log, Markus Metallinos; Valestrand, Erik Thule; Hilmo Lundheim, Sigurd; Nesse, Martin. (2022) From captain to button-presser: operators’ perspectives on navigating highly automated ferries. Journal of Physics: Conference Series (JPCS)
Academic article
Veitch, Erik Aleksander; Dybvik, Henrikke; Steinert, Martin; Alsos, Ole Andreas. (2022) Collaborative Work with Highly Automated Marine Navigation Systems. Computer Supported Cooperative Work (CSCW)
Academic article
Mallam, Steven; Nordby, Kjetil; Van de Merwe, Gertjan Koen; Veitch, Erik Aleksander; Nazir, Salman; Veitch, Brian. (2022) Empathy from Afar? Towards Empathy for Future Maritime Designers and Remote Operators. Proceedings of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society Annual Meeting.
Academic article
Fossum, Knut Robert; Honoré-Livermore, Evelyn; Veitch, Erik Aleksander; Haskins, Cecilia; Palmer, Erika. (2022) Toward an integrated project complexity narrative – A case study of academic organizations. Systems Engineering
Academic article
Veitch, Erik Aleksander; Alsos, Ole Andreas. (2022) A systematic review of human-AI interaction in autonomous ship systems. Safety Science
Academic article
Honoré-Livermore, Evelyn; Fossum, Knut Robert; Veitch, Erik Aleksander. (2021) Academics' perception of systems engineering and applied research projects. Systems Engineering
Academic article
Veitch, Erik; Alsos, Ole Andreas. (2021) Human-centered explainable artificial intelligence for marine autonomous surface vehicles. Journal of Marine Science and Engineering (JMSE)
Academic article
Veitch, Erik Aleksander; Kaland, Thomas Colin Guo; Alsos, Ole Andreas. (2021) Design for Resilient Human-System Interaction in Autonomy: The Case of a Shore Control Centre for Unmanned Ships. Proceedings of the Design Society
Academic article
Dybvik, Henrikke; Veitch, Erik Aleksander; Steinert, Martin. (2020) Exploring Challenges with Designing and Developing Shore Control Centres (SCCs) for Autonomous Ships. Proceedings of the Design Society: DESIGN Conference
Academic article

Part of book/report

Alsos, Ole Andreas; Saghafian, Mina; Veitch, Erik Aleksander; Sitompul, Taufik Akbar; Petermann, Felix-Marcel; Papachristou, Eleftherios. (2025) Mind the Kayak! Informing UX Design of Autonomous Vehicles through Edge Case Testing in the Field. Association for Computing Machinery (ACM)
Academic chapter/article/Conference paper

Report

Alsos, Ole Andreas; Steen-Johnsen, Ferdinand; Veitch, Erik Aleksander. (2024) Exploring Coastal Norway: An Interactive Approach to Enhance Educational Tourism on Cruises. NTNU
Masters thesis
Meland, Ådne; Veitch, Erik Aleksander; Petermann, Felix-Marcel. (2024) Design Research and Concept of Silent Alarms. NTNU
Masters thesis
Alsos, Ole Andreas; Saghafian, Mina; Veitch, Erik Aleksander; Petermann, Felix-Marcel; Sitompul, Taufik Akbar; Park, Jooyoung. (2024) Erfaringer fra prøvedriften av en selvkjørende byferge: Implikasjoner og anbefalinger for en selvkjørende fergetjeneste i Trondheim . Norges teknisk-naturvitenskapelige universitet Norges teknisk-naturvitenskapelige universitet
Report
Hanssen, Mikael Røsbak; Dahl, Yngve; Alsos, Ole Andreas; Veitch, Erik Aleksander. (2022) Developing a video game for research and prototyping of unmanned maritime vessels. NTNU
Masters thesis

Information material

Aarset, Lars Bugge; Alsos, Ole Andreas; Veitch, Erik Aleksander; Gusev, Alexey. (2024) Remotely Controlled Ferry Demonstrated at Nyhavna – Successful Test of Groundbreaking Technology.
Website (informational material)

Teaching

Courses

PD6017 - Human Factors and Design for Remote Operations

Outreach