Currently, a dramatic evolution of the decision support systems for the maritime field is experienced by both academia and the major industrial stakeholders investing in researching new approaches to prevent a collision at sea. The primary motivation is to reduce the number of preventable accidents to safeguard life at sea and to preserve the fragile marine environment.
For such a reason, the authors propose an approach to early detect the risk of collision at sea based on the AIS (Automatic Identification System) data in coastal areas. Although RADAR (RAdio Detection And Ranging) is primarily used for collision avoidance, this paper additionally suggests the use of AIS for the early detection of DSS (Decision Support System). AIS is selected among the available sources of information nowadays since it is widely used, as it is mandatory for commercial and navy ships and optional for other surface vehicles. In the last years, even if not required, more and more yachts, boats, and sailing boats have voluntarily installed AIS transmitters and/or receivers. The collision detection is formalised with simple but effective mathematical formulations and provides the primary navigational information and the expected COLREG (Collision Regulations) scenario.
The approach is tested and quantitatively validated in batch mode, with field data also allowing for a qualitative analysis of the master's behaviour. Moreover, some statistics concerning the different scenario occurrences are reported to identify the most probable situations better. The results show that it is possible to detect the risk of collision automatically based on AIS data, even in closed range and even with GPS accuracy. The outcomes of the detection modules can be used as the input for collision avoidance path planning as a future step toward marine autonomous navigation.
The advancement of situational awareness devices and Decision Support Systems aims to provide operational assistance to seafarers.
Electronic Chart Display and Information System (ECDIS), as a part of the Integrated Navigation System (INS), provides information from different sources in one place and presents a unique central navigational system for voyage monitoring. Considering this, integration of the proposed DSS system with ECDIS or a separate Graphical user interface (GUI) should be considered in future development. Although many authors mentioned the complexity of various types of existing ECDIS systems (ukin et al. 2023), overreliance and possible failure (Krstić et al. 2021), creating a combined "ideal" system for end-users undoubtedly is going to be the heart of a modern, and future INS.
Furthermore, the DSS enables the detection of hazards, allowing for timely adjustments to the ship's course or speed to mitigate potential risks (Aylward et al., 2022). Additionally, they facilitate the transmission of warnings to shore authorities, enabling prompt assistance in the event of a collision and minimising resultant damage. The development of such systems is crucial in the context of increasing ship automation, as vessels must possess the capability to respond to unforeseen circumstances autonomously.
