A Study on Changes in Maritime Traffic Due to the Pandemic using AIS Big Data and Density Analysis

Maritime transportation is one of the most economically efficient methods of transporting large volumes of cargo and serves as a crucial vehicle for global trade, accounting for about 80% of worldwide commerce. In particular, since Korea is surrounded by sea on three sides, more than 90% of its import and export cargo heavily relies on maritime transportation. However, the COVID-19 pandemic that began in late 2019 has brought about changes in maritime traffic patterns due to global border controls and changes in economic activity. In particular, for Korea, which is highly dependent on maritime logistics, it is important to understand how the pandemic has affected maritime traffic density and the changes by vessel type. In this study, the changes in maritime traffic density in Korea during the first year of the pandemic, starting from March 11, 2020, are examined. Korea's sea area was divided into grid cells, and the length of ship trajectories within each grid cell was calculated to analyze changes in maritime traffic density. Maritime traffic density changes were analyzed for cargo ships, tanker ships, and passenger ships based on specific operating patterns, and traffic density within major ports was also examined. As a result, an increase in traffic density was observed for both cargo and tanker ships. The purpose of this study is to quantitatively analyze changes in maritime traffic density before and during the COVID-19 pandemic, thereby providing basic data for predicting maritime traffic patterns and developing response strategies in similar global crisis situations in the future.