A comprehensive ship weather routing system using CMEMS products and A* algorithm

We describe the implementation of a comprehensive software for Ship Weather Routing referred to as SIM- ROUTE. The A* pathfinding algorithm is used to optimize the sailing route as a function of the wave action. The aim of the software is to provide a comprehensive, open and easy tool including pre- and post-processing for ship weather routing simulations. The software is constructed considering the Copernicus Marine Environment Monitoring Service (CMEMS) wave predictions systems which are available for free use. The code provides the optimized route and the minimum distance route together with additional modules to compute ship emission and safety on navigation monitoring. SIMROUTE has been tested in several cases using different CMEMS products over short and long distances. The comprehensive structure of the code enables it to be easily modified to include additional ship wave resistance models and the effect of the water currents and winds on navigation. SIMROUTE is also used for academic purposes, providing skills for ship routing optimization in the framework of standards of training, certification and watchkeeping (STCW) for competence-based maritime education and training. Due to the simplicity of its use, SIMROUTE is a good candidate for benchmarking strategies and inter-comparison exercises with advanced methods for ship weather routing. This contribution highlights the technical aspects, code organization and structure behind SIMROUTE, demonstrating its capabilities through examples of route optimization.Postprint (published version

Enhancement of Maritime Safety and Economic Benefits of Short Sea Shipping Ship Routing

The relevance of ship routing system is increasing according to the mitigation of carbon emissions and enhance the maritime safety. New generation of high-resolution meteo-oceanographic predictions provides useful tools for routing of ship. However, scientific efforts have been focused on inter-oceanic routes. This contribution investigates the economic benefits and improvement on maritime safety of ship routing of Short Sea Shipping (SSS) routes. The investigation is supported with the development of a ship routing system based on a path finding algorithm and meteo-oceanographic predications. Results show that the economic benefits using ship routing in SSS is estimated in percentage of the total cost during energetic wave episodes. The work establishes the basis of further developments in optimal route applied in relatively short-distances and its systematic use in the SSS maritime industry. In this work, the optimal ship routing analysis is investigated in a relative short distance maritime route between Barcelona and Palma de Mallorca (Spain). Dijkstra algorithm is implemented in order to obtain the optimal path under an energetic wave event. The methodology is based on the inclusion of the drag resistance due to waves. The results reveal how the wave direction has a relevant role in the optimum path due to the relative direction with the ship and the enhancement of the navigational safety.Postprint (published version

Hybrid Satellite-Terrestrial Communication Networks for the Maritime Internet of Things: Key Technologies, Opportunities, and Challenges

With the rapid development of marine activities, there has been an increasing number of maritime mobile terminals, as well as a growing demand for high-speed and ultra-reliable maritime communications to keep them connected. Traditionally, the maritime Internet of Things (IoT) is enabled by maritime satellites. However, satellites are seriously restricted by their high latency and relatively low data rate. As an alternative, shore & island-based base stations (BSs) can be built to extend the coverage of terrestrial networks using fourth-generation (4G), fifth-generation (5G), and beyond 5G services. Unmanned aerial vehicles can also be exploited to serve as aerial maritime BSs. Despite of all these approaches, there are still open issues for an efficient maritime communication network (MCN). For example, due to the complicated electromagnetic propagation environment, the limited geometrically available BS sites, and rigorous service demands from mission-critical applications, conventional communication and networking theories and methods should be tailored for maritime scenarios. Towards this end, we provide a survey on the demand for maritime communications, the state-of-the-art MCNs, and key technologies for enhancing transmission efficiency, extending network coverage, and provisioning maritime-specific services. Future challenges in developing an environment-aware, service-driven, and integrated satellite-air-ground MCN to be smart enough to utilize external auxiliary information, e.g., sea state and atmosphere conditions, are also discussed

Automatic collision avoidance of ships

One of the key elements in automatic simulation of ship manoeuvring in confined waterways is route finding and collision avoidance. This paper presents a new practical method of automatic trajectory planning and collision avoidance based on an artificial potential field and speed vector. Collision prevention regulations and international navigational rules have been incorporated into the algorithm. The algorithm is fairly straightforward and simple to implement, but has been shown to be effective in finding safe paths for all ships concerned in complex situations. The method has been applied to some typical test cases and the results are very encouraging

Model of large scale man-machine systems with an application to vessel traffic control

Mathematical models are discussed to deal with complex large-scale man-machine systems such as vessel (air, road) traffic and process control systems. Only interrelationships between subsystems are assumed. Each subsystem is controlled by a corresponding human operator (HO). Because of the interaction between subsystems, the HO has to estimate the state of all relevant subsystems and the relationships between them, based on which he can decide and react. This nonlinear filter problem is solved by means of both a linearized Kalman filter and an extended Kalman filter (in case state references are unknown and have to be estimated). The general model structure is applied to the concrete problem of vessel traffic control. In addition to the control of each ship, this involves collision avoidance between ship

A model of the vessel traffic process

A model of the total vessel traffic control process that includes the functioning of the human operator (HO) is presented. The vessel traffic services (VTSs) are modeled in their possible role of monitor, conflict detector, and advisor for the total vessel traffic system. The model assumes a number of ships, with a given planned route, in a given confined area. The navigation of each ship is based on a planned route, which is updated by information about the visual scene, instruments, and the VTS. Both normal operation and collision avoidance are modeled. The model is implemented in a C program. Typical traffic situations have been simulated to showing the ability of the model to address realistic vessel traffic scenarios. The model can answer questions related to safety and efficiency, the effect of HO functioning, information necessary to perform tasks, communication between ships and VTS, the optimization of procedures, automation of the total vessel traffic process, et

An integrated methodology for the design of Ro-Ro passenger ships

The present paper provides a brief introduction to the holistic approach to ship design, defines the generic ship design optimization problem and demonstrates its solution by use of advanced optimization techniques

Static maritime enviroment representation of electronic navigational charts in global path planning

In past years, numerous global path planning methods have been researched and applied in maritime surface navigation. Regardless of intended usage for either decision-support in manned, or autonomous vessel navigation, path planning should generate a safe and efficient route. However, prior to route generation, static maritime environment representation must be created first. Whether it is transformed in to discrete or continuous form, common approach is to use Electronic Navigational Charts (ENCs) as a basis for maritime environment representation. Nevertheless its origins, ENCs still adhere to inherited data generalisations and simplifications to be comprehensible for human navigators. This leads to limitations when considering path planning and spatial resolution at different chart scales. Furthermore, when generating the representation and path, uncertainty must be considered since the quality and accuracy of chart data varies. Although these topics have been addressed separately in their respective domains, their relations have not been researched in detail. The aim of the proposed paper is the review of electronic navigational charts, environment representation and common global path planning approaches’ relations. Forthcoming standards and technologies, such as usage of high-density charts, are presented and discussed as well.Peer Reviewe