Hazard identification and risk analysis of maritime autonomous surface ships : A systematic review and future directions

Despite the progress in autonomous ship technology, unknown risks persist in the design, operation, and regulation of maritime autonomous surface ships. A comprehensive literature review for hazard identification and risk analysis method of maritime autonomous surface ships is currently lacking. Based on a database of 62 relevant literatures, this study presents the distribution of relevant literatures by journal, year of publication, country or region of authorship, and institution. To gain further insights into the research hotpots and the frequently neglected risk influential factors, the literatures are classified into four groups based on the categories of risk influential factors, and a comprehensive list of risk influential factors is compiled. Based on this, the research content is analysed with respect to human factors, ship-related factors, environmental factors, and technology factors. Furthermore, statistical analysis is conducted on 23 literatures related to systematic risk analysis of maritime autonomous surface ships in terms of data sources and risk analysis methods, noting that researchers commonly utilize datasets and a combination of risk analysis methods. This study not only contributes to the understanding of the current status and challenges in hazard identification and risk analysis of maritime autonomous surface ships but also provides potential future research directions.