Critical Areas of the Autonomous Seagoing Vessel Concept Model - According to Selected Criteria

Abstract

The paper defines autonomous vessels as unmanned, remote-controlled vessels or vessels moving along a planned route, according to the program installed on the electronic control and control unit which selects the action, depending on the result of the analysis of current data in real time. Autonomy is also defined as the ability of a facility to perform design tasks, during which the safe exploitation of the facility requires the development of a decision. It was assumed that the consequences of these decisions should be consistent with the project assumptions, adequately to the conditions. In real operating conditions, the level of autonomy of vessels is dependent on the operating task specified in the design process. Operational tasks were identified by analysing the process of operating a sample merchant vessel. Since an autonomous craft may be devoid of technical solutions to ensure the safety of persons at work and to facilitate their operation on board, it must also be equipped with devices to replace persons.

The paper presents the types of navigation that can be performed by a ship, i.e. in open waters, in waters limited by approach lanes with specific parameters, in port areas with limited spaces and very complex line of quays, as well as in areas with high traffic intensity. It shows an example of a navigational infrastructure on land and a compatible ship system communicating with this infrastructure. The concept of a model of a sea autonomous vessel has been developed.