The European Maritime Simulator Network (EMSN) will be used to validate the STM concepts and services, running the largest civil simulation test ever, with 29 manned bridges in 10 centres. The purpose of the EMSN simulations is to reflect the STM concept, to validate and evaluate the findings and to give input to various hypotheses and the Formal Safety Assessment developed by other activities within the project.
Once developed, the simulation scenarios need to be tested and evaluated regarding the technical functioning of the EMSN, including its data logging and whether the scenarios themselves are suitable to provide data for analysis regarding the STM hypotheses.
The tests, held on the 20th March 2017, were coordinated and lead by Fraunhofer CML and tested the EMSN function and its data exchange including voice communication. The goals of the test were:
- To ascertain that the planned scenario gives rise to several expected (planned) traffic situations, where the use STM tools may be of benefit. As no STM tools were available, the focus was on verifying that the scenarios provide enough data regarding e.g. traffic congestions, close quarters situations, navigational difficulties, etc.
- To ascertain that the scenario duration is reasonable and that the network functions throughout the time of the simulations.
The scenarios include areas in the Southern Baltic and English Channel as specified during the STM Work Camp in Berlin 2016. The areas have been built and are available for all simulation users, i.e. Kongsberg, Rheinmetall and Transas. The areas may need further development regarding objects and other details but will be sufficient to run the Pilot Tests.
In the Western Baltic scenario, about 30 EMSN own ships were approaching Fehmarn Belt in good visibility. In the English Channel scenario 30 EMSN own ships were simulated in an area South of Southampton representing a certain level of normal traffic in the area.
All vessels within the exercise had an individual initial position, route and speed. The routes of all vessels ended in individual endpoints. For each vessel, an individual ETA at the endpoint was given. Participants were asked to navigate their vessel safely from the start position along the pre-determined route and to maintain schedule as closely as possible. If altering course for shipping, participants shall resume the navigation track as expeditiously as possible.
