In recent years, research and industry initiatives have both put efforts in developing autonomous vessels. The NTNU autonomous shuttle ferry is one the few projects developed to carry passengers. The autonomous ferry will be able to carry 12 persons, and will have electrical propulsion and anti-collision system. It will connect Ravnkloa to Vestre Kanalkai through Trondheim Fjord providing a low environmental footprint and with an operation that will be cheaper than building a bridge.
For autonomous vessels to be operational in the near future, it is critical that they are proven to be safe. Risk assessment of autonomous vessels can make use of different approaches. So far in the NTNU autonomous ferry project, a preliminary HAZID has been performed, but it is necessary to perform more detailed risk analyses of the ferry design concept, including the effects of potential risk reduction measures.
One of the most advanced risk analysis methods is the Hybrid Causal Logic modeling (HCL), which makes use of Event Sequence Diagrams, Fault Trees and Bayesian Belief Networks. HCL provides a framework that is capable of analyzing the different domains of the system (software, hardware, environmental, organizational) using the most appropriate technique, in an integrated model. HCL has been successfully applied to aviation, oil and gas industries, among others.
This thesis aims to identify and model the risks associated with the Trondheim autonomous ferry operation – and further ensure its safety – making use of the HCL framework.
Supervision
Contact Professor Ingrid B. Utne, ingrid.b.utne@ntnu.no