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KOMSA Harnesses Advanced Technologies to Enhance Passenger Ship Safety Management

WriterMaritime Transportation Policy Office
Hits70
Date2023-11-08 13:56:51
Content KOMSA Harnesses Advanced Technologies to Enhance Passenger Ship Safety Management KOMSA's drones are identifying risks on sea routes, reflecting the organization's consistent adoption of 4th Industrial Revolution technologies. An operation manager at KOMSA is using a drone to conduct a safety inspection for a passenger ship KOMSA is enhancing passenger ship safety management by implementing advanced technologies such as drones and intelligent surveillance cameras. This initiative not only strengthens safety but also boosts efficiency in the rapidly evolving maritime safety scheme. The organization’s effort to advance safety management for coastal passenger ships began in 2020, leading to the adoption of 17 drones in 10 operation management centers nationwide. Initiated in 2022, KOMSA utilizes drones for the safety operation management monitoring system to monitor 132 passenger ships and 89 sea routes in Korea. This system aids in identifying hard-to-spot risks from the sky and eliminating blind spots during ships’ movements, from arrivals and departures to ship inspections. Fostering in-house drone operation expertise is also part of KOMSA’s effort. Currently, 149 ship operators are licensed in drone-related operations, with 14% holding Class 1 drone pilot licenses and being certified as trainers. AI technology also plays a crucial role in improving passenger ship safety monitoring. Intelligent surveillance cameras, specialized for ships, have been installed in 23 ports across 4 regions, including Mokpo, Incheon, Wando, and Gunsan. These cameras can automatically track ships in real time and monitor marine weather conditions. The system alerts KOMSA headquarters of any detected human or ship presence in danger zones or expected crowds in ports, enabling a swift response. This technology even allows for the observation of swell waves 1.5 km away from ports, previously undetectable with the naked eye. Well-devised strategies are always based on data analysis. KOMSA reviewed maritime accident data from the Korean Maritime Safety Tribunal for the first half of 2023; the review showed a 40.8% increase in incidents involving floating objects compared to the same period in 2022. In light of this, KOMSA is developing various strategies to identify and mitigate risks and reduce maritime accidents. By 2026, intelligent surveillance cameras are expected to be installed at 60 ports in nine regions nationwide. “During the second half of 2023, KOMSA will focus on eliminating risks like floating objects on sea routes in collaboration with related authorities,” stated Jun-Seok Kim, CEO of KOMSA. He added, “We will continue to analyze risks scientifically and embrace 4th Industrial Revolution technologies for comprehensive on-site safety management.”