Ship berthing and hull inspection using the CetusII AUV and MIRIS high-resolution sonar

Recent events including the September 11th and the attack on the U.S.S. Cole have redefined security needs in protecting both military and civilian vessels as well as the protection of ports from effects of explosives or other weapons of mass destruction. The attachment of potentially devastating devices to the relatively inaccessible external hulls of ships or their placement in berthings represents a significant potential threat. The current methods of inspection by divers or remotely operated vehicles are hazardous, manpower intensive, and limited by conditions such as low visibility which is typical in harbor/berthing environments. This paper discusses the application of the CetusII equipped with high-frequency ahead-looking and side-scanning sonars to the ship hull and berthing inspection missions. It describes the unique approach to conformal hull following and adaptation of the vehicle control software to the unique aspects of hull inspection.