SaMariS

Satellite based Maritime Safety

Figure 1 Research Port Rostock (Source: HERO)

Project Overview

The project SaMariS is a joint research project arisen from project ideas selected as awardees of innovation competition 2011 in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern for funding . The improvement of safety in the context of ship’s navigation is the overarching objective of all 3 subprojects:

The subproject “SiMod-Man” was realized by the seafaring department of the University of Applied Sciences, Technologies, Business, and Design Wismar and dealt with simulation based planning of effective and safe maneuver strategies taking into account the current maneuverability of a single ship in relation to available maneuver space.
The Institute of Automation of the University of Rostock performed the subproject “SiMod-Aut”, which was focused on the improvement of dynamic ship models applying methods of control and feedback control theory. By the aimed dynamic ship models an improved description of slowly as well as fast moving vessels under consideration of different actuators will be possible. The benefit of such models was demonstrated by a partial automated realization of maneuver planning and monitoring functionalities.
The subproject “AIS/PNT data integrity” was realized by the Institute of Communications and Navigation of DLR and dealt with the generation and exchange of information describing the integrity of nautical data used for traffic surveying and vessel navigation. For more details see DLR’s subproject AIS/PNT data integrity.

Although the project was composed by 3 subprojects the planned developments were strongly networked. Position, navigation, and time data (PNT) represents an essential data source for the development of efficient maneuver strategies as well as improved models of ship’s dynamic. Improved models of ship’s dynamic behavior as well as accurate PNT data are basics to increase the capability of tools developing and monitoring maneuver strategies.

The project ended in the May 2015 with a final presentation and demonstration in Rostock.

DLR’s subproject AIS/PNT data integrity

Investigations of the Liverpool John Moores University realized in 2007 have shown that a disappointing high number of static and dynamic ship data distributed by AIS is incomplete or erroneous. This resulted into the recommendation that AIS shall not be used as primary mean for traffic situation surveying and assessment. Unacceptable inaccuracies at apparently plausible PNT data are an indeterminable error part of AIS data up to now. Therefore a work package dealt with the development of methods for the monitoring of plausibility and consistency of AIS data in real time. For this purpose the maritime Ground Based Augmentation System (MGBAS) in the Research Port Rostock was upgraded with an AIS monitoring system (receiver, additional data processing modules) to enable the experimental evaluation of the developed algorithm under real time conditions.

At present it is impossible to derive from AIS data conclusions about accuracy and reliability of ship dynamic data, because AIS information about the ship-side PNT system in use is insufficient to get information either about the current applied GNSS signals (system, frequency bands) or used techniques. Neither is foreseen the indication of accuracy for PNT data such as Speed over Ground (SOG) in the AIS message formats. Therefore the conceptual advancement of AIS message formats was another project activity in the context of global AIS evolution process.

The provision of PNT relevant Maritime Safety Information (MSI) is a discussed approach, which enables that maritime users can be informed about the current integrity of available services and applicable techniques. To permit the provision of this information the MGBAS was enriched with additional monitors evaluating the usability and capability of services and techniques.

At project end it was demonstrated in cooperation with the other project partners by using the ship simulation system at the MSCW, that integrity indicators for PNT data provided by ships operating in the overseas port Rostock are feasible, to improve manoeuvre planning and realisation based on Fast Time Prediction.