The Indian Institute of Technology Bombay (IIT Bombay) on Friday said it has signed an agreement with the Indian Register of Shipping (IRS) to develop a ship trajectory prediction tool to improve maritime safety.

As per the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) inked between the two sides, the proposed work will focus on developing a trajectory prediction tool for disabled ships and floating objects, IIT Bombay said in a statement.

This tool will enable quick response for locating the drifting vessels as well as rerouting nearby ships to improve maritime safety, said the statement.

Further, the project aims to create a computer program with automated report generation capabilities intended for integration into existing IRS Emergency Response System (ERS) software programs, it added.

The trajectory prediction of disabled ships is a critical aspect of maritime safety, facilitating early warnings and rescue operation planning, the statement said.

Understanding and predicting the movement of disabled ships and floating objects drifting in the open sea, under the influence of location-specific environmental conditions, is essential for timely and effective response and rescue efforts, it added.

Professors Manas Behera and VK Srineash of IIT Bombay said the collaboration emphasizes the premier institute’s commitment to active industry-academia interaction to achieve several national goals.

They added that the project aims to develop a ‘Made in India’ software system and enhance maritime safety, rescue, and support operations.

Source: THE WEEK