Ship accident re-enactment based on AIS data and virtual reality: a case study of “Xiang Xiang Yin Huo 0410” ship accident

Abstract The recurrence of ship accidents was an effective method of maritime investigation. To analyze the cause of the sinking of “Xiang Xiang Yin Huo 0410”, a vessel accident recurrence simulation system was constructed by integrating an automatic identification system and virtual reality technology to replicate the navigation and accident process of the accident vessel. The voyaging process of the accident vessel was reduplicated in the simulation system according to the AIS information, such as speed, course, and turning speed. The mathematical model of accident vessel maneuvering was established by using MMG to reproduce the ship maneuvering scheme based on the maneuvering data before the accident obtained through on-the-spot investigation. The navigation and sinking process of the accident vessel were reproduced visually, and the cause of the accident was judged and analyzed intuitively by constructing a three-dimensional model of the accident vessel and a mathematical model of ocean waves. The actual application indicates that the ship’s navigation and accident process under external force, combined with the ship’s maneuvering data, automatic identification data, and hydrometeorological data, was consistent with the actual accident process of the accident. The method proposed in this paper provided a new idea for the investigation and analysis of maritime accidents.