Use of Automatic Identification System (AIS) data to study patterns of navigation behavior in the Macapá and Santana/AP/Brazil Ship Monitoring Area (AMN)

Abstract

The Amazon estuary is a poorly studied region in relation to the traffic safety of vessels in congested areas, such as ports, estuaries and coastal waters. It is of relevance and public interest to understand navigation operations and the risks presented by this activity to society generally. Studies on the subject in the Amazon are also very rare. The objective of this study is to statistically evaluate the navigation behavior in this region, using the online Automatic Identification System (AIS) database obtained from the site https://www.marinetraffic.com. As a result, the AIS data were tested by accepting the hypothesis that there are considerable risks of local navigation operations, depending on the behavior observed in the region, and especially regarding the frequency of average or instantaneous speeds practiced above what is legally permitted (p<0.05) . The present study is an unprecedented and valuable source of research on the navigation behavior of ships in the Amazonian estuary. In addition, it offers the possibility of recognizing some behavioral patterns of ships traveling on this waterway, and it is also possible to classify such behaviors according to technical criteria based on internationally recognized information to monitor ships of various categories and draft. Therefore, the information obtained can help port managers and environmental protection authorities in making operational decisions related to potential risks of accidents or complex situations involving the interaction between both areas.