An advanced decision-making model for determining ship domain size with a combination of MCDM and fuzzy logic

The ship domain is a critical and practical concept for both collision risk assessment and planning of collision avoidance action at sea. This study presents a new methodology that combines Fuzzy Logic and Analytic Hierarchy Process for determining the ship domain, especially for open waters. The model considers various factors such as ship speed, manoeuvrability, encounter type, etc., which are critical for determining ship domain size and shape. In order to verify the effectiveness of the proposed model, numerical experiments and comparative implementations with existing models were conducted. Through experimental analysis in different scenarios, the results demonstrate that the proposed model can be effectively used for collision risk assessment. Finally, the model will contribute to ship movement safety, collision risk assessment, and collision avoidance action planning. Moreover, the framework proposed in this study may provide a typical perspective for further research of ship domain.