ANNOUNCEMENTS
Tracking of marine vessels is important from the economic as well as the safety and security perspective. A number of Vessel Tracking Systems (VTS) exist in the world and some are internationally mandated. The widespread proliferation of these systems, aided by their use being mandated by international organisations and inter-governmental agreements, as well as their ease-of-use has resulted in their becoming the mainstay of MDA (Maritime Domain Awareness) for most maritime security agencies such as the navies and coast guards – even though the systems may have had other originally intended purpose (such as anti collision). The systems therefore have limitations from the security perspective. The research was aimed at systematically studying the limitations of VTS from the security perspective and examine how emerging technology can be adapted for maritime use so as to obviate these limitations.
The study identified the limitations of the existing systems, including from the user perspective. Tracking of fishing vessels and warships were identified as the areas of focus for the research. Most fishing vessels due to their size do not fall under the ambit of mandatory VTS covered under the SOLAS (Safety of Life at Sea) Convention (SOLAS, 1974). These regulations also do not apply to warships and government vessels. Since tracking small vessels and warships is also important from the perspective of MDA, alternate means for tracking such vessels need to be devised.
Research through Design (RtD) methodology was followed so as to devise working prototypes / methodology, to obviate the limitations of existing systems. Use of LoRa technology for tracking of fishing boats was demonstrated through development of a prototype. A novel methodology for detection of ships using coarse resolution imagery that does not rely on use of proximately located pixels was devised and has resulted in patent application being filed by the Indian Navy for the same. The methodology devised is not only able to detect the vessels but also attempts to directly classify them as being possible / probable warships.
