China develops all-angle ship monitoring system to enhance navigation safety

BEIJING -- Chinese researchers have developed a maritime vision system that provides ships with complete 360-degree visibility, thereby significantly improving navigation safety in darkness, fog and other challenging conditions.

With global trade relying heavily on maritime transport, increasingly congested shipping lanes have heightened collision risks. Conventional ship vision systems, equipped with just two or three cameras, offer only 120-degree coverage, leaving dangerous blind spots.

"Accurate obstacle detection and expanded situational awareness are critical to preventing collisions," said Cai Chengtao, dean of the College of Intelligent Systems Science and Engineering at Harbin Engineering University in Northeast China's Heilongjiang province.

He added that unpredictable weather, such as fog and storms, often forces ships to halt operations, reducing efficiency and increasing costs.

The innovative system, developed through 14 years of research at the university, represents China's first all-weather, high-resolution panoramic vision solution for maritime applications.

This technology features a dual-module design with 8 to 12 cameras per unit, integrating both visible-light and far-infrared sensors to ensure reliable performance across varying visibility conditions.

"The system's core innovation is its real-time panoramic synthesis capability," Cai explained. Advanced embedded processing seamlessly combines multiple camera feeds into a unified 360-degree view for both onboard navigation systems and remote monitoring centers.

During its three years of application, the system has successfully predicted and warned of several potential ship collisions caused by blind spots, generating significant economic benefits, said Zeng Bowen, a faculty member at the university and project team member.

Currently operational aboard China's intelligent research vessel Haitun 1, the technology has also been implemented in critical maritime operations -- including tugboat assistance and port surveillance systems.

Looking ahead, the system's applications may expand to autonomous vessels, environmental monitoring networks and intelligent transportation infrastructure, thus marking a leap forward for intelligent transportation systems worldwide.