Using Multi-agent Simulation to Improve the Security of Maritime Transit

摘要

Despite their use for modeling traffic in ports and regional waters, multi-agent simulations have not yet been applied to model mar itime traffic on a global scale. We therefore propose a fully agent-based, data-driven model of global maritime traffic, focusing primarily on mod eling transit through piracy-affected waters. The model employs finite state machines to represent the behavior of several classes of vessels and can accurately replicate global shipping patterns and approximate real world distribution of pirate attacks. We apply the model to the problem of optimizing the Gulf of Aden group transit. The results demonstrate the usefulness of agent-based modeling for evaluating and improving op erational counter-piracy policies and measures.