STUDY ON VESSEL MOTION CONTROL WITH TOWING ROPES AND DAMPERS FOR BERTHING

The problem of manoeuvring vessels within harbour areas is generating considerable interest in terms of marine cybernetics. The vessel is operated by the pilot and moves at low or zero speeds in shallow water areas. In this case, the vessel is usually assisted by the cooperation of thrusters, main propulsion systems, tugboats and pilots, etc. In this paper we suggest a new vessel berthing technique using dampers and winches as a solution for complex and dangerous berthing work. In the proposed berthing method, we design the controller to counteract the waves and other effects for guaranteeing safety during the berthing process. Experiments are also conducted to verify the proposed vessel berthing method and the effectiveness of the designed control system in which unpredictable external force is applied. Finally, the experiment results show that the vessel could approach the defined position in time with effective control action made from designed controller.