Automatic Control of Large Ships in Pilotage and Berthing

Abstract

This paper surveys the present methods of pilotage and berthing, discusses some of the statistics of collision and grounding in confined waters, and suggests the development of shipborne automatic control devices to be used for the pilotage and berthing of large vessels. The proposed system, with its associated shore-based equipment, would carry out a similar function to the automatic landing devices fitted in aircraft, and would be part of an overall marine traffic control system. This system would enable large ships to be berthed automatically in reduced visibility and improve the safety of the movement of large ships in congested waters. The author lectures in the Department of Marine Electronics at Southampton College of Technology.

Kalman Filter Techniques in Marine Integrated Navigation Systems

“…Shipboard systems will continue to move towards more automation, and in an earlier paper 6 it was suggested that marine traffic control systems, which are starting to evolve in the areas of high traffic density, could be further improved by the development of a shipboard automatic control system to be used in the pilotage and berthing of large vessels at the world's major ports. This automatic berthing system would complement marine traffic control, and improve its efficiency by allowing ships to be berthed automatically in all visibility conditions.…”