AIS (Automatic Identification System) data provides valuable input parameters in ship traffic simulation models for risk analysis and the prevention of shipping accidents. This paper reports on the detailed analysis of AIS data for modeling purposes. This analysis is focused on restricted waterways to support inland waterway simulations, comparing the differences between a narrow waterway in the Netherlands (narrow waterway in the Port of Rotterdam) and a wide one in China (wide waterway of Yangtze River close to the Su-Tong Bridge). It is shown that straightforward statistical distributions can be used to characterize position, speed, heading and interval times for different types and sizes of ships. However, the distributions for different characteristics of ship behaviors for narrow and wide waterways differ significantly.
Because vessel traffic in ports and waterways is growing quickly, much attention has been given to maritime traffic safety and port capacity. Many simulation models have been used for predicting traffic safety and port capacity in ports and waterways. However, maritime traffic models have considered only a few aspects; the influence on safety of human behavior and external factors has not been included. An analysis based on data from an automatic identification system was performed under various external conditions in an investigation of vessel behavior and external influencing factors. The study area included a junction and a slight bend with high maritime traffic density within the port of Rotterdam, Netherlands. Vessels were classified according to type and gross tonnage. Equidistant cross sections approximately perpendicular to the navigation direction were used for investigation of vessel behavior, including speed, course, and path for each vessel category. The influence of external factors (wind and visibility) on vessel behavior was identified through a comparison with the behavior of unhindered vessels. In the analysis, specific thresholds were set for selecting external conditions and eliminating the influence of encounters. The analysis of unhindered vessels for each vessel category provided insight into vessel behavior. The results revealed that wind had an influence on vessel speed and that visibility affected vessel speed, course, and path. Analysis results can be used as input for the development of a new maritime traffic model, as well as for its verification and validation.
The impact of many external factors, such as wind, visibility and current, on the behavior of vessels in ports and waterways has not been investigated systematically in existing maritime traffic models. In order to fill the current knowledge gap and provide a basis for developing a new model to effectively simulate maritime traffic, the influences of wind, visibility and current as well as vessel encounters on vessel behavior (vessel speed, course and relative distance to starboard bank) have been investigated in this study by analyzing Automatic Identification System data collected from the port of Rotterdam. It is found that wind, visibility, current and encounters have significant impact on the vessel speed and relative distance to starboard bank, while vessel course is mainly affected by current and encounters. The results also showed that the vessels would adapt their speed, course and relative distance to starboard bank during encounters. These findings showed the importance of considering external factors and encounters in simulating vessel behavior in restricted waterways and provide a starting point for building up more comprehensive maritime traffic models.
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