Simulation-Based Estimation of Collision Risk During Ship Maneuvering in Two-Lane Canal Using Mathematical Maneuvering Group Model and Automatic Identification System Data

Abstract

This paper proposes a simulation-based method to estimate collision risk for a ship operating in a two-lane canal. According to rule 9 of the Colreg-72 navigation rules, in a narrow canal, a vessel shall keep as near to the wall that lies on its starboard side. However, a busy harbor entered through a narrow canal still presents impact hazards. Certain conditions in a two-lane canal, such as a head-on situation in the straight part of the canal during an overtaking maneuver and large curvature of a turning maneuver in the bend part of the canal, could lead to accidents. In the first condition, the ship alters its own course to the port side to overtake another ship in the same lane but the course altered is too large and hits the wall of the canal. In the second condition, the target ship may take an excessively large turn on the bend part of the canal, causing collision with the ship on the opposite lane. Collision risk is represented as the risk of damage to the ship structure and includes the probability of impact accident and severity of structural damage. Predictions of collision probabilities in a two-lane canal have been developed based on a simulation of ship maneuvering using a mathematical maneuvering group (MMG) model and automatic identification system (AIS) data. First, the propeller revolution and rudder angle of the subject ship are simulated to determine safe trajectories in both parts of the canal. Second, impact accidents are simulated for both conditions. The ship’s speed, and current and wind velocity are randomly simulated based on the distribution of the AIS and environment data for the research area. The structural consequences of the impact accident are measured as collision energy losses, based on the external dynamics of ship collision. The research area of the two-lane canal is located at the Madura Strait between the Java and Madura islands in East Java of Indonesia, as shown by the red line in Figure 1. A project for developing a new port and dredging a new two-lane canal to facilitate an increase in the number of ship calls is currently underway in the research area. Figure 1 shows the ships’ trajectories plotted using the AIS data as on January 1, 2011. The trajectories are mostly seen to be coming out of the canal, confirming that it is shallow and needs to be dredged.