Use of AIS Data to Characterise Marine Traffic Patterns and Ship Collision Risk off the Coast of Portugal

Abstract

This paper studies the risk of ship collision off the coast of Portugal based on Automatic Identification System (AIS) data, which is recorded and maintained by the Portuguese coastal Vessel Traffic Service (VTS) control centre (CCTMC). Computer programs for decoding, visualization and analysis of the AIS data have been developed. From analysis of the AIS data available, maritime traffic off the coast of Portugal is characterized and a statistical analysis of traffic in the Traffic Separation Schemes is provided. An algorithm has been developed to assess the risk profile and the relative importance of routes associated with ports. A method is proposed to calculate the collision risk from the assessment of the number of collision candidates by estimating future distances between ships based on their previous positions, courses and speeds, and comparing those distances with a defined collision diameter. Values of causation probability suggested in several studies are used to calculate the expected number of collisions in the period of time under investigation based on the number of collision candidates. The results of this study are then compared with the number of collisions that have occurred between 1997-2006, registered

Marine Traffic Density Over Port Klang, Malaysia Using Statistical Analysis Of AIS Data: A Preliminary Study

“…The information contained in AIS message is decoded by using National Marine Electronic Association, NMEA 0183 or NMEA 2000 data formats. These messages are interpreted to identify the vessel's Maritime Mobile Service Identify (MMSI), International Maritime Organization (IMO) number, ship type, length, breadth, position fix type and draught [9].…”

Combining operational models and data into a dynamic vessel risk assessment tool for coastal regions

“…This peripheral area is a high shipping density zone (more than 55 000 commercial vessels per year crossing this area, and an average number of 600 ships of all types present in the studied area, according to MarineTraffic, http://www.marinetraffic.com/) with a complex network of routes, being an obligatory passage point between the Mediterranean Sea and Northern Europe or the American Continent (Silveira et al, 2013;see Fig. 1).…”

“…Silveira et al (2013) developed also a new method to calculate the ship risk collision, applied in the Portuguese continental shelf with AIS data, but without connection to oil spill hazard assessment or taking into consideration metocean conditions. But none of the previous studies were developed and applied in real-time risk assessment.…”

Detection and Analysis of the Main Routes of Voluntary Observing Ships in the North Atlantic

“…Using the Automatic Identification System (AIS) to determine the ship positions could be an alternative way of identifying the ship routes. This has been done already but only on routes close to coastal areas where AIS data is easier to collect systematically (Silveira et al, 2013).…”