Collaborative collision avoidance for Maritime Autonomous Surface Ships: A review

Abstract

Collision avoidance algorithms for autonomous ships are frequently proposed, but very few studies consider the interaction and information exchange between ships, and if they do, this is usually limited to only between autonomous ships with the use of the Automatic Identification System. However, through projects addressing the International Maritime Organization’s e-navigation concept, new communication technologies are being proposed and developed for conventional vessels in the maritime domain. Importantly, vessel-to-vessel route exchange has been explored for conventional ships with seafarers on board. Consequently, it is reasonable to assume that these tools can help facilitate collaborative collision avoidance algorithms that leverage communication and information exchange to a greater extent than current collision avoidance algorithms. This paper distinguishes itself from previous reviews on maritime collision avoidance algorithms by considering and highlighting the importance of collaboration between the involved vessels. We identified gaps ranging from assumptions on communication capabilities and considerations related to non-cooperative actors to cybersecurity concerns. Drawing upon lessons learned from previous studies, we then suggested how to address these gaps by taking advantage of e-navigation concepts and technologies. Finally, we provided a high-level outline of a collaborative collision avoidance protocol. As such, this is the first comprehensive review on this important, emerging topic.