Extended Operational and Trade Vocabulary

Maritime Autonomous Surface Ships and MASS Code glossary (page 2)

The autonomous-shipping vocabulary: the research programmes (AAWA and its roadmap), the assisted and remote maneuvering aids (Marine Pilot Control and Vision), the IMO degrees of autonomy, and the MASS Code and remote-operation-center terms. Grounds each term in the autonomy concept or the MASS Code framework it belongs to.

396 defined terms.

Showing 146 on this page (page 2 of 2).

M

Massterly: The Kongsberg and Wilhelmsen joint venture established in 2018 to operate autonomous vessels including the Yara Birkeland.
Mayflower Autonomous Ship: ProMare and IBM unmanned trimaran USV that completed an unmanned Atlantic crossing in 2022.
Mega-Guard: A Praxis Automation product family that includes autonomous navigation and integrated bridge components.
MEGURI 2040: A Mitsui OSK Lines led Japanese project demonstrating autonomous coastal vessels in the 2020s.
Mikage: A coastal container ship used by Nippon Yusen Kaisha in 2022 as a MASS commercial trial platform.
Mission Profile: The defined operational envelope for a MASS including routes, weather limits, and traffic categories.
Mitsui OSK Lines: Japanese shipping major with a large LNG and LPG fleet, commonly abbreviated MOL.
Model Predictive Control: An advanced control method used by some MASS planners that solves a finite horizon optimization at each step.
MOL Soleil: The autonomous ferry trial of the Mitsui OSK Lines ship Sunflower Soleil within the MEGURI 2040 program.
Monitoring Authority: A regulator or class society that observes a MASS trial and signs off on milestones.
MSC 105: The 105th session of the IMO Maritime Safety Committee in April 2022 that approved the MASS roadmap.
MSC.1/Circ.1638: The IMO Maritime Safety Committee Interim Guidelines for MASS Trials issued in June 2021.
Multi-GNSS Receiver: A satellite navigation receiver that combines signals from GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, and BeiDou for resilience.
MUNIN: Maritime Unmanned Navigation through Intelligence in Networks, the European Commission FP7 project from 2012 to 2015 that was a foundational academic MASS effort.
MUSV: The United States Navy Medium Unmanned Surface Vessel program for mid sized autonomous platforms.

N

National MASS Authority: The national maritime administration that grants and oversees MASS trial permissions in its waters.
NavyX: The Royal Navy autonomy and innovation accelerator that fields experimental unmanned platforms.
Nellie Bly: The Sea Machines Robotics autonomous tug demonstration vessel operated with Maersk in the United States.
Network Latency Test: A pre trial procedure that measures end to end delay on the ship to shore link.
Nippon Yusen Kaisha: The Japanese shipping company that operated the Mikage MASS trial in 2022.
Nomad USV: A United States Navy Overlord program unmanned surface vessel used for fleet experimentation.
Non Mandatory MASS Code: The voluntary version of the IMO MASS Code targeted for adoption in 2024 ahead of the mandatory instrument.
Norwegian Maritime Authority: Sjofartsdirektoratet, flag State administration of Norway.
NYK: Nippon Yusen Kaisha, Japanese shipping major with extensive LNG and LPG fleets.

O

Obstacle Avoidance Planner: The autonomy module that revises the local plan in response to detected dynamic and static obstacles.
Ocean Aero Triton: A solar and wind powered autonomous surface and underwater vessel used for ocean observation and security missions.
Octopus Wind Hub: A 2025 era Wallenius Wilhelmsen concept supporting Orcelle Wind unmanned wind powered vessels.
Onboard Compute Cluster: The set of servers and embedded computers that host the MASS autonomy and bridge applications.
One Sea: The digital autonomous shipping ecosystem hosted by DIMECC in Finland with members including ABB, Wartsila, Tieto, Cargotec, Inmarsat, Ericsson, and Kongsberg.
Open Bridge Standard: An industry initiative for harmonized bridge user interfaces relevant when designing remote operations workstations.
OpenCPN: An open-source chart plotting software supporting unencrypted ENC display.
Operational Design Domain: The defined conditions in which a MASS is permitted to operate including weather, traffic, and geography.
Optical Identification: The use of cameras and computer vision to read vessel names, port marks, and other visual identifiers.
Orcelle Wind: A Wallenius Wilhelmsen wind powered roll on roll off concept that envisages future unmanned operation.
Ouster LiDAR: A solid state LiDAR product family used in some marine perception stacks.
Overlord USV Program: The United States Navy program of record for large unmanned surface vessels including Ranger, Nomad, Mariner, and Vanguard.
Overtaking Situation: The COLREGs encounter type addressed by Rule 13 that imposes the give way duty on the overtaking vessel including MASS overtaking traffic.

P

Path Planning A Star: The A* search algorithm widely used for global route planning in marine autonomy.
Perception Confidence Score: A numeric output of the perception stack indicating the certainty of a detection, used to weight decisions.
Performance Standard: An IMO performance standard such as for ECDIS or radar that the MASS system must continue to satisfy.
Pilot Boarding Concept: An operational pattern for embarking and disembarking pilots on remotely operated and reduced crew vessels.
Pixel Level Annotation: Detailed labeling of marine imagery for training and evaluating perception models for MASS.
Port Approach Module: An autonomy capability that handles confined water navigation and traffic management close to port.
Position Reference System: A sensor providing absolute position to a MASS, typically a multi-GNSS receiver supplemented by GBAS or DGNSS.
Power management system: PMS auto load function starting and stopping generators with load.
Praxis Mega-Guard: A Praxis Automation product family including autonomous navigation and integrated bridge components.
ProMare: The non profit marine research organization that, with IBM, built the Mayflower Autonomous Ship.
Propulsion Health Monitor: An autonomy input that continuously checks engine and thruster health to inform speed and routing decisions.
Protective Coating Inspection: A maintenance discipline relevant to long endurance USVs that operate without onboard intervention.
PSU Redundancy: The provision of dual power supplies to autonomy compute nodes to maintain availability under single failure.

R

R-Mode 1: A DNV autonomous and remote operations notation level corresponding to remote monitoring.
R-Mode 2: A DNV notation level corresponding to remote control.
R-Mode 3: A DNV notation level corresponding to fully autonomous operation.
Radar Target Tracker: The processing chain that maintains tracks of radar returns over time for use by the autonomy collision avoidance module.
Ranger USV: A vessel of the United States Navy Overlord program demonstrating long endurance autonomy.
Recovery Mode: A defined MASS state for after an unsafe condition during which only restricted maneuvers are permitted.
Redundant Control Link: A second independent ship to shore link that allows continued remote operation after primary link failure.
Remote Operations Center: A shore facility staffed by qualified personnel that monitors and may control one or more MASS in service.
Remote Operator Certification: A competency assurance regime for personnel performing remote control of MASS, evolving alongside STCW.
Roboat: The Amsterdam Institute for Advanced Metropolitan Solutions and MIT autonomous canal boat research platform.
Robosys Voyager: The Robosys Automation Vessel Intelligence Voyager autonomy product line for unmanned and reduced crew vessels.
Rolls-Royce Marine: Marine equipment division (now Kongsberg Maritime) producing steering gear and propulsion equipment.
Rotor Sail: See Flettner Rotor.
Route Adaptation: An autonomy function that revises the planned route in response to weather, traffic, or operator instructions.
Russian USV Programs: The collective term for several Russian autonomous and remotely operated surface vessel research and development efforts.

S

Safe Speed: The COLREGs Rule 6 concept that constrains autonomous speed planning by visibility, traffic, and maneuverability.
SafeShip: A European research project addressing safety and autonomy aspects of maritime operations.
Safety case: Documented argument that risks at a wind farm are reduced to as low as reasonably practicable.
Saildrone Explorer: Seven meter wind and solar powered USV used for environmental and fisheries monitoring.
Saildrone Inc: The San Francisco based developer and operator of wind and solar powered autonomous surface vehicles.
Saildrone Surveyor: Twenty-two meter Saildrone USV with full ocean depth multibeam echo sounder.
Saildrone Voyager: Ten meter Saildrone USV designed for hydrographic and maritime domain awareness work.
Sandbox Trial: A regulatory framework such as the Singapore MASSPORT Sandbox that allows novel MASS operations under defined conditions.
Sea Hunter: DARPA ACTUV trimaran USV built by Leidos and operated by the US Navy as an autonomous surface vehicle demonstrator.
Sea Machines Robotics: A Boston based autonomous control developer founded in 2015 by Michael G. Johnson that produces the SM300 autonomy product.
SeaTrac SP-48: A solar electric unmanned surface vessel used for survey and persistent monitoring missions.
Sejong Trial Area: A Korean autonomous vessel test area associated with national MASS demonstration programs.
Sense And Avoid: The general capability of MASS perception and decision modules to detect threats and execute COLREGs compliant maneuvers.
Sensor Fusion: Combining radar, AIS, camera, LiDAR for autonomy.
Shore Control Center: A general term for a facility from which MASS are monitored and, when required, controlled.
Simrad Halo: Simrad solid state pulse compression radar family.
Singapore MPA: The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore, sponsor of the MASSPORT Sandbox and JR Tug trials.
Situational Awareness Display: The integrated view of tracked targets, planned route, and ship state used by remote operators and onboard crew.
SM300: The Sea Machines Robotics autonomous control system designed for tugs and workboats.
Smart Ship: A class society term for a vessel with advanced digital and connectivity features that may include autonomy.
Smart Yacht: A Bureau Veritas concept extending Smart Ship principles to the yacht segment under NR 663.
SOLAS V/15: The SOLAS regulation on bridge design and equipment layout, relevant to unmanned bridge designs.
SOLAS V/22: Bridge visibility requirements.
Soleil: The Mitsui OSK Lines Sunflower Soleil ferry used in MEGURI 2040 autonomous ferry trials.
Solid State Radar: A radar architecture based on semiconductor power amplifiers used in current marine and autonomous installations.
Speed Over Ground: The GNSS derived ship speed used by autonomy guidance functions.
Stand-on vessel: COLREGs vessel required to maintain course.
STCW: International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers 1978, as amended.
Stella Maris: Apostleship of the Sea Catholic seafarers' welfare network.
Storfjorden: A Norwegian fjord designated by the Norwegian Maritime Authority as a test area for MASS.
Subsea Cable Awareness: An autonomy planning input that avoids anchoring or trawling over known submarine cables.
Suzaku: A Nippon Yusen Kaisha vessel involved in Japanese MASS demonstration activities.
System Of Systems Test: A high level integration test in which multiple MASS subsystems are exercised together to validate emergent behavior.

T

Tactical Decision Layer: The autonomy layer that selects maneuvers within a few minute horizon based on tracks and rules.
Telemetry Compression: A bandwidth saving technique that reduces the size of routine status messages on the ship to shore link.
Therese: One of the ASKO Maritime autonomous electric container barges operating in the Oslofjord.
Thermal imaging: See infrared thermography.
Tieto: A Nordic information technology company and One Sea ecosystem member contributing software expertise to MASS programs.
Track Initiator: A perception module function that creates a new track when a new persistent detection is observed.
Traffic Pattern Recognition: The use of machine learning to characterize local traffic behavior, supporting safer MASS maneuver planning.
Trajectory Optimization: The mathematical process that produces an optimal vessel trajectory subject to constraints, used in advanced MASS planners.
Transit Mode: An autonomy operating mode in which the vessel follows a planned ocean route at a defined service speed.
Trondheim Fjord: A Norwegian fjord designated as a MASS test area by the Norwegian Maritime Authority.
Trust Score: An internal metric used to express confidence in an autonomous decision before execution.
Tug Autonomy Kit: A retrofit package such as the Sea Machines SM300 that adds autonomy to existing harbor and offshore tugs.
Two Way Authentication: A cyber security control on the ship to shore link requiring mutual identity verification between vessel and remote operations center.
Type 911 USV: A reported Chinese unmanned surface vessel type associated with research and development of marine autonomy.

U

UAS Maritime Integration: The use of unmanned aircraft from a MASS for over the horizon perception in defense and survey roles.
Ulstein: Norwegian shipbuilder and design house active in offshore wind support vessel design.
Unattended Bridge: A concept in which the bridge is not continuously manned during certain periods of the voyage, an intermediate step toward higher autonomy degrees.
Underway Replenishment: Naval activity supporting sustained counter piracy patrols.
United States Coast Guard: USCG, enforces SOLAS and IMDG in US ports through 33 CFR and 46 CFR.
United States MARAD: The Maritime Administration of the United States Department of Transportation, an agency engaged in MASS policy and demonstration.
Unmanned Bridge Standard: A draft and emerging set of technical requirements for vessels designed to operate without a continuously manned bridge.
Unmanned Surface Vehicle: A general term for a surface vessel operating without onboard crew, encompassing many research and commercial platforms.

V

Vanguard USV: A vessel of the United States Navy Overlord program demonstrating sustained autonomous operation.
Vard Brattvaag: The Norwegian shipyard that built the Yara Birkeland and delivered the ship in November 2020.
Vard Remote Operations Center: A remote operations center operated in support of the Yara Birkeland and associated vessels.
Velocity Obstacle: A local motion planning algorithm that represents forbidden velocities created by moving obstacles, used in MASS collision avoidance.
Velodyne LiDAR: A LiDAR sensor product family used in research and prototype marine autonomy applications.
Verified Software Build: A controlled software release process required by class societies for safety related MASS software.
Vessel Intelligence Voyager: The Robosys Automation autonomy product line for unmanned and reduced crew vessels.
Vessel Traffic Service Integration: The exchange of position, intent, and instructions between MASS and a Vessel Traffic Service.
Virtual Bridge Wing: A camera and sensor representation on a remote workstation that emulates the bridge wing view for berthing.
Voyage data recorder: VDR or S-VDR under SOLAS.
Voyage Optimization: A planning function that adjusts route, speed, and trim for fuel and time efficiency on MASS.
VSAT: Very Small Aperture Terminal satellite system used for two-way broadband at sea.

W

Wallenius Wilhelmsen: A roll on roll off shipping company developing the Orcelle Wind unmanned wind powered concept.
Wartsila SmartMove Suite: A Wartsila product family that includes automated berthing, dynamic positioning, and assisted maneuvering functions.
Wartsila Voyage: Business unit of Wartsila that integrates the former Transas portfolio, including NTPRO 5000 simulators and ECDIS products.
Watch Alarm: A bridge alarm that prompts watchkeeper response, replicated as part of remote operations supervision on MASS.
Waterway Geofence: A virtual boundary along a navigable waterway used to confine an inland MASS to its permitted area.
Wave Glider: The Liquid Robotics wave and solar propelled persistent unmanned surface vessel platform now part of the Boeing portfolio.
Weather Routing Service: A commercial routing service whose use is sometimes documented under VIQ Chapter 4.
Wilhelmsen: The Norwegian maritime services group that co-owns Massterly with Kongsberg.
Wind Sensor: Ultrasonic or mechanical anemometer feeding bridge wind indicators, often Gill WindSonic or Vaisala WMT700.
Wing Sail USV: A class of unmanned surface vessel propelled by a rigid wing sail, including Saildrone vehicles and Ocean Aero Triton.

X

X Band Marine Radar: A short to medium range marine radar widely used on commercial and autonomous vessels for navigation and collision avoidance.
XOcean XO-450: An Irish designed hybrid solar and diesel electric unmanned surface vessel used for hydrographic and environmental survey.

Y

Yara Birkeland: Pioneering autonomous battery-electric container ship.
Yara International: The Norwegian fertilizer producer that owns and uses the Yara Birkeland for its coastal logistics.