An automatic guidance, navigation and collision avoidance system for ships at sea

The paper concerns work on the development of a voyage management system which takes navigational data from such navigation aids as are fitted on the vessel, collision avoidance data from the ship´s radars, and meteorological data from shore stations via a satellite link. After appropriate filtering, this data is used as input to a multivariable optimal controller which will maintain the vessel on the correct track between ports, with due consideration to safety, efficiency and economy of operation. The navigation and guidance system has been tested afloat, whilst simulation studies have demonstrated that the automatic collision avoidance and weather routeing systems can be incorporated in to the overall voyage management system. The next step is to develop a complete prototype system and undertake extensive trials in coastal and oceanic waters