Author(s): Takeshi Sugimura; Takeshi Terui; Hironori Yabuki; Hajime Yamaguchi
Linked Author(s):
Keywords: Sea Ice; Ships and Navigation in Ice
Abstract: A container ship stranding accident occurred in the Suez Canal in March 2021. This blocked traffic in the canal, and it took ten days for congestion to ease. This incident pointed out the danger of the concentration of the transportation network, and the Northern Sea Route (NSR) attracted attention as an alternative transportation method to decentralize the transportation network. In the case of the NSR, it is essential to ensure a safe route to determine the shipping route based on the icebreaking capacity of the vessel and the sea ice conditions. If the ship is operated incorrectly, a collision with the ice could cause a serious accident. At present, such decisions depend on the experience of the crew. However, there are few opportunities to gain onboard expertise in sea ice areas. Therefore, training using actual routes is required, as in the exercises on the map, to complement the experience. In addition to training, safer navigation would be possible if the support system supports secure and efficient navigation. Establishing a ship navigation support system for sea ice areas is an urgent issue for the development of the NSR. This study has developed an Arctic Sea Route Search System that automatically calculates safe and efficient routes. This web application automatically obtains satellite data and calculates the optimal route according to the vessel’s capabilities. The system is designed so that anyone can quickly get the optimal route by operating the GUI on the screen. The program uses the Ice Index method to estimate ship speed and the A* search method to find the optimal route. We validated the algorithm’s validity by comparing it with AIS data. This web application will also be useful for route verification and training, even for vessels that have used NSR in the past.
Year: 2022