MOORED SHIP MOTION DETERMINATION USING PIER-SIDE BASED SENSORS

AN INTEGRATED SENSOR SYSTEM EMPLOYING HIGH-PRECISION ULTRASOUND RANGEFINDING INSTRUMENTS COMBINED WITH A CHARGED-COUPLE DEVICE (CCD) VIDEO PROCESSOR CAN BE USED TO DETERMINE THE PRECISE POSITION AND MOTION OF CONTAINER SHIPSBEING LOADED AT A PIER. PROCESSING WILL BE CARRIED OUT BY ATWELVE STATE KALMAN FILTER WHICH RELIES ON FEEDBACK FROM THELOADING CRANE'S AUTOMATIC CONTROL PROCESSOR FOR GOOD A PRIORI STATE VECTOR ESTIMATES AND FOR HIGH-ORDER CORRECTIONS. THE SYSTEM WILL BE SELF-MONITORING, PROVIDING A RELIABLE ESTIMATE OF THE ERRORS IN ITS OWN PREDICTIONS, AND DETECTING UNPREDICTED MOTIONS QUICKLY, FOR OPERATOR ALERT AND CORRECTION.