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Description
Even despite the implementation of sophisticated technical solutions at sea, navigational accidents constitute a threat to the safety at sea. The overall objective of this Project is therefore to improve the maritime safety through the development of leading safety indicators in collision and grounding avoidance. Ship hydrodynamics will be taken into account in developing the solutions for safe navigation. As an ultimate goal, technical solutions will be developed in close cooperation between Project Partners.
The beneficiaries of this Project include the Partners who will strengthen the R&D cooperation and develop new solutions/products, but also the large maritime community. Herein, it is expected that the develop solutions will help reduce the number of accidents thus improving the safety of maritime transportation.
The added value of particular Partners is as follows: (1) for GMU - experience in maritime operations and safety evaluation, as well as the research vessel; (2) NTNU - experience in carrying out and managing the international R&D projects, as well as the research vessel; (3) E-M - experience in developing novel, high-tech solutions for maritime navigation; (4) WTIF - experience in ship hydrodynamics and safety analysis.
Summary of project results
The need for the Project was identified under an overall trend towards autonomous solutions in shipping. Although the autonomous ships themselves are likely far from full-scale implementation, certain automated solutions gradually make their way towards industrial operation. Among them are decision support systems, including those used in collision avoidance. To this end, most of the solutions focus on an early resolution, but this is not always feasible in real-world situations.
To meet the project goals a mostly-software solution has been developed to assist a navigator (and potentially: ship autonomy system) in resolving close-quarters situations. This allowed for the development of a comprehensive system for increasing safety at sea, especially during close quarters encounters, which constituted the most tangible result of the Project. In this respect, additional system to augment navigators’ situation awareness has been developed, combining long-present solutions similar to Automatic Radar Plotting Aids (ARPA) with newly-presented CADCA, stability considerations, etc.
The principal scientific value of the project comprises its advancements in maritime safety, the development of innovative algorithms and decision support systems, and the integration of advanced modelling techniques. The scientific impact is far-reaching, influencing autonomous shipping, operational efficiency, international safety standards, education and environmental protection. These contributions not only advance scientific knowledge but also have practical implications that can lead to safer, more efficient and sustainable maritime operations globally.
Summary of bilateral results
The principal added value of the partnership is in enhanced collaboration and knowledge sharing, resource optimization, innovation and technological advancement, educational and capacity building, and real-world application and impact. The international and cross-disciplinary naturę of the partnership significantly enriched the projecfs outcomes, ensuring that the research was comprehensive, innovative and practically applicable. This collaboration not only achieved the projecfs immediate objectives but also set the stage for ongoing advancements in maritime safety and technology.