Wind and Ocean-Current Informed Ship Path Planning

A control unit configured to execute a method of generating a path for a marine vessel the method including:

• acquiring wind data indicating strength and direction of wind with respect to the marine vessel,
• acquiring sea current data indicating strength and direction of current with respect to the marine vessel,
• detecting positions of at least one obstacle ahead of the marine vessel,
• determining constraints related to passing distance from the obstacles for the marine vessel,
• generating a path for the marine vessel for counteracting the wind and current calculated based on the wind data and sea current data while respecting the constraints, wherein the constraints are adjusted based on the wind data and the current data to ensure a buffer distance to the obstacles, and
• providing output data of the generated path.

A marine vessel comprising a control unit configured to execute a method of generating a path for a marine vessel the method including:

• acquiring wind data indicating strength and direction of wind with respect to the marine vessel,
• acquiring sea current data indicating strength and direction of current with respect to the marine vessel,
• detecting positions of at least one obstacle ahead of the marine vessel, determining constraints related to passing distance from the obstacles for the marine vessel,
• generating a path for the marine vessel for counteracting the wind and current calculated based on the wind data and sea current data while respecting the constraints, wherein the constraints are adjusted based on the wind data and the current data to ensure a buffer distance to the obstacles, and
• providing output data of the generated path.

A computer program product comprising program code for performing a method of:

• acquiring wind data indicating strength and direction of wind with respect to the marine vessel,
• acquiring sea current data indicating strength and direction of current with respect to the marine vessel,
• detecting positions of at least one obstacle ahead of the marine vessel,
• determining constraints related to passing distance from the obstacles for the marine vessel,
• generating a path for the marine vessel for counteracting the wind and current calculated based on the wind data and sea current data while respecting the constraints, wherein the constraints are adjusted based on the wind data and the current data to ensure a buffer distance to the obstacles, and
• providing output data of the generated path, when executed by a control unit.