A survey of maritime communications: From the wireless channel measurements and modeling perspective

Abstract

Maritime communications, including inland waterways and sea communications, are key technologies for ensuring communication and navigational safety during maritime activities. New mobile communication technologies, such as 5G and 6G, focus on the full coverage of land, sea, and space. However, the current maritime communications primarily depend on satellite communication systems that have high costs, limited coverage, and low data rate. Thus, research on maritime communications based on broadband technology has garnered attention in recent years, and it requires a deeper understanding of the characteristics of wireless channels. In this paper, we outline the difference between the terrestrial and maritime propagation properties and present a survey of maritime communications in terms of the wireless channel measurements and modeling. Furthermore, the research challenges and directions that may be encountered in future maritime communications are discussed.