Navigational decision-making method for wide inland waterways with traffic separation scheme navigation system

This study utilizes the deep-water channel from the mouth of the Liuhe River to the Jiangyin Bridge in China as a case study to address ship navigation decision-making in wide inland waterways equipped with traffic separation systems. We propose a novel navigation decision-making method based on time-sequence rolling calculations, integrating a digital traffic environment model, collision risk model, and course and speed control techniques. Initially, we innovatively incorporated navigation rules into the quantitative analysis of collision risk based on the behavioral characteristics of ships in the study area. This approach led to the development of a decision-making method capable of adapting to system residual errors and random movements of target ships. Subsequently, a multi-ship navigation decision-making experiment was conducted using available Automatic Identification System (AIS) data for the study area. The results indicate that our method effectively controls ship traffic and ensures timely route tracking in a multi-ship environment within wide inland waters equipped with traffic separation systems, significantly enhancing safety and efficiency.