A Japanese research partnership, comprising Japanese shipping company MOL, MOL Techno-Trade, National Institute of Maritime, Port and Aviation Technology, and Tokyo University of Marine Science and Technology (TUMSAT), aims at developing an advanced navigation support system.
Under the joint study, all parties will conduct basic research on advanced navigation support system, which is indispensable for safe navigation of conventional ships as well as the autonomous ships of the future, under the instruction and leadership of TUMSAT Honorary Professor Dr. Hayama Imazu.
Specifically, the study aims to develop a navigation support system that introduces the concept of Obstacle Zone by Target (OZT), one of the ship collision risk index, leading to the application of technologies such as Automatic Radar Plotting Aid (ARPA).
OZT is a zone which has the potential risk of collision with a nearby ship. A display, which displays the OZT on the view from the bridge so as to match the OZT’s direction to that of the view, makes it easy to determine whether the ship is at risk of a collision.
MOL has been working under its technological development project, “Ishin Next- MOL Smart Ship Project”, to develop and introduce technologies that will contribute to reducing environmental impact and ensuring safe, reliable transport services.
