Ship detection and recognition for offshore and inshore applications: a survey

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to study various ship detection methodologies. The accuracy of ship detection using satellite images still suffers from disturbances due to cluttered scenes and varying ship sizes. The suitability of the techniques for various applications is explained in this survey. Design/methodology/approach A list of data on the subject was gathered and processed into tables. The test outcomes were then discussed to determine the most effective ship detection technique under various complex environments. Findings In this work, the advantages and disadvantages of different classification techniques of ship detection are highlighted. The suitability of the techniques for various applications is also explained in this survey. Several hybrid approaches can be developed in order to increase the accuracy of ship detection system. This survey also aids in highlighting the significant contributions of satellite images to effective ship detection system. Originality/value In this paper, studying various ship detection methodologies is given specific attention. A survey on ship detection and recognition is clarified with the detailed comparative analysis of various classifier techniques.