Author(s)

Z Pietrzykowski & M Narekiewicz

Abstract

Implementation of marine regulations in decision support systems for vessel traffic services Z. Pietrzykowski, M. Narekiewicz Maritime University of Szczecin, Poland Abstract The paper presents a concept of a description of international and local marine regulations for vessel traffic supervising and management within approaches, fairways and harbour areas. Linguistic variables based on the fuzzy set theory are used. The goal is to support decision process in VTS centres. Methods and tools of fuzzy inference are used for that purpose. One example of this can be an interpretation of vessel’s safe speed in a specified area. To comply with COLREGs, many factors must be taken into account while specifying a vessel’s safe speed. These are, among others, vessels parameters, visibility, traffic density, manoeuvrability of the vessel, state of wind and sea. The local regulations most often define only maximum and minimum admissible speeds. On this basis the operator recommends or orders a safe speed for ships covered by a VTS station. Most of the factors are described linguistically, e.g. good visibility, high intensity of vessel traffic. From this point of view it seems essential to use such notions in decision support systems employed in VTS centres. Examples of rules are discussed and analysed. On this basis fuzzy inference systems for these rules are built. These inference systems represent regulations, accounting for navigators’ knowledge and experience. The results are presented. The processing of information, described by linguistic variables, is referred to as computing with words. The realisation of the presented concept may make the operation of VTS personnel more effective. Linguistic interpretation of the rules may be also used in vessel traffic management through planning and optimisation of vessel passages. A similar approach using a linguistic description can be applied as well in the optimisation of other port tasks.

Keywords