Due to significant advances in robotics and transportation, research on autonomous
ships has attracted considerable attention. The most critical task is to make the
ships capable of accurately, reliably, and intelligently detecting their surroundings
to achieve high levels of autonomy. Three deep learning-based models are constructed
in this thesis to perform complex perceptual tasks such as identifying ships,
analysing encounter situations, and recognising water surface objects. In this thesis,
sensors, including the Automatic Identification System (AIS) and cameras, provide
critical information for scene perception. Specifically, the AIS enables mid-range
and long-range detection, assisting the decision-making system to take suitable and
decisive action. A Convolutional Neural Network-Ship Movement Modes Classification
(CNN-SMMC) is used to detect ships or objects. Following that, a Semi-
Supervised Convolutional Encoder-Decoder Network (SCEDN) is developed to
classify ship encounter situations and make a collision avoidance plan for the moving
ships or objects. Additionally, cameras are used to detect short-range objects, a
supplementary solution to ships or objects not equipped with an AIS. A Water Obstacle
Detection Network based on Image Segmentation (WODIS) is developed to
find potential threat targets. A series of quantifiable experiments have demonstrated
that these models can provide reliable scene perception for autonomous ships
