Assessment of the Possibility of Using a Waterway for Operation of Autonomous Ships

Abstract

The development of autonomous navigation is an important element in terms of increasing the efficiency of the water transport system, and the current level of technology and technology allows building ships that will operate without a crew or with remote control. The performed literary analysis of scientific sources of information confirms the significant lack of research aimed at the development of waterway infrastructure for unmanned ships. The study described in this paper is aimed at developing a design criterion that determines the possibility of using the waterway for the operation of autonomous ships. Data on the movement and density of ships for the waters of the Gulf of Finland according to the data of Automatic Identification System are presented. The analysis of vessel density in this work was carried out using the DBSCAN mathematical algorithm. It is proposed to use the concept and term "knowledgeable" to include sections of the waterway in the zone of autonomous navigation. The involved experts assessed five criteria in terms of their significance: the availability of data on navigation on the selected section of the waterway, the availability of electronic navigation charts, the availability of hydrometeorological information, the availability of technical means of communication and navigational fencing. As a continuation of the research, it is proposed to study many qualitative and quantitative characteristics of both the area of the water area and the specialized equipment installed on it, since the operation of autonomous ships requires a more complex technical and information infrastructure.