Article

Received 06.02.2025

Revised 29.05.2025

Accepted 20.06.2025

Retrieved from Vol. 28, No. 1, 2025

Pages 94 -107

Burmaka, I., Petrychenko, O., Alieksieichuk, B., & Vynohradova, A. (2025). Analysis of minimum safe approach distances based on vessels navigation safety domain. The National Transport University Bulletin: A Scientific and Technical Journal, 28(1), 94-107. https://doi.org/10.32703/2617-9040-2025-45-7

Analysis of minimum safe approach distances based on vessels navigation safety domain

Igor Burmaka Olga Petrychenko Bohdan Alieksieichuk Alla Vynohradova

This  article  presents  an  analytical  study  of  changes  in  the  critical  allowable  approach  distance between converging vessels, taking into account the shape of the vessel's safety zone. The research aims to  address  the important  issue  of  ensuring  maritime  navigation safety  by  developing  a  mathematical approach  for  precise  modeling  of  vessel  domains  under  various  approach  scenarios.  Analytical expressions are proposed and derived for calculating minimum safe distances for both elliptical zones and zones of complex configuration, allowing flexible assessment of approach situations depending on the relative motion of vessels. The analysis shows that although elliptical and complex-shaped domains differ geometrically, the nature of changes in critical approach distance in both cases remains similar, indicating the possibility of effective application of either model in practical conditions depending on the  required  level  of  detail  and  available  computational  resources.  Graphical  representation  of  the results  clearly  illustrates  the  dynamics  of  distance  changes  as  a  function  of  the  angle  between  the courses  of  approaching  vessels,  which  can  be  used  in  the  development  of  software  for  navigation systems.  The  obtained  dependencies  allow  not  only  quantitative  assessment of  allowable  approach distances  but  also  account  for  the  influence  of  the  approach  aspect,  which  significantly  affects  the decision-making  process  by  both  navigators  and  automated  collision  avoidance  systems.  The  results create  a  foundation  for  further  improvement  of  collision  avoidance  algorithms  and  contribute  to increasing the  level  of  automation  in  navigation processes  and  overall  maritime  safety,  especially in conditions of heavy traffic or restricted waterways

safety domain; vessel collision avoidance; approach distance; elliptical domain; collision evasion; vessel traffic management
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https://doi.org/10.32703/2617-9040-2025-45-7