Method and device for monitoring the activities of vessels supporting maritime operations

Abstract

Method and Device for Monitoring the Activities of Maritime Operations Support Vessels. The present invention relates to a method (100) for monitoring the activities of maritime operations support vessels, comprising the steps of: - acquiring (110) the positions (Pi) and speeds of the vessels, - comparing (120) the speed (Vi) of a vessel with an upper speed threshold (S2), and if the speed (Vi) is greater than the upper speed threshold (S2), determining (130) a transit activity of the vessel, or, if the speed (Vi) is less than the upper speed threshold (S2), searching (160, 162) for a point of interest (POIj) located in an area around the vessel and a rule (Rjk) associated with the point of interest (POIj) to determine (170, 172) a vessel activity or a state of under-occupancy of the vessel, - determining (180, 182) the time spent by the vessel in an activity or in a state of under-occupancy. (Figure 2)

Description

Title of the invention: Method and device for monitoring the activities of vessels supporting maritime operations

[0001] The present invention relates to the maritime field and the field of the petroleum industry, and more specifically concerns a method for monitoring the activities of ships used for marine and logistical operations related to the exploration and production of offshore oil and gas fields.

[0002] Oil companies in charge of offshore oil activities charter fleets of vessels to support oil operations. These vessels have specific functions or are multi-purpose. In particular, these are the vessels commonly called, according to their capabilities, PSV for "Platform Supply Vessel" (supply vessel), AHT for "Anchor Handling Tug" (tug vessel), AHTS for "Anchor Handling Tugs Supply" (anchor laying vessel), FSIV for "Fast Supply Intervention Vessel" (supply vessel), MPSV for "Multi Purpose Supply Vessel" (support vessel), SSV for "Seismic Support Vessel" (support vessel), etc.

[0003] For example, supply ships are used for transporting personnel or equipment, but often do not have a winch equipped for towing floating platforms or oil tankers. Tugboats, on the other hand, are equipped for such towing, but are not equipped for transporting equipment due to their limited deck space. Anchor-laying vessels have a deck large enough to transport equipment and personnel, and can tow floating platforms or oil tankers. Finally, subsea work vessels have a deck equipped with a crane that does not allow for the transport of equipment or towing. Nevertheless, all these vessels are equipped with a fire monitor and can therefore intervene in the event of a fire on an oil platform.

[0004] The use of such a fleet is very rarely optimized. Fleet optimization requires precise monitoring of the activities of the various vessels in the fleet. However, this monitoring is carried out by the crew or by the oil company staff, through manual entry of each activity into a spreadsheet or a specific application. This manual data entry is a source of errors, the volume of errors increasing with the volume of activities performed. Thus, managing a fleet of one hundred vessels supporting oil operations, each with an average of fifteen activities per day, generates almost fifty thousand data points per month.

[0005] The utilization rate of each ship is therefore calculated approximately, for example it is a function only of the deck occupancy rate for a supply ship.

[0006] There is therefore a need for more precise monitoring of the activities of a fleet of ships, in particular of ships supporting oil operations, in order to optimize its use.

[0007] The present invention aims to remedy at least in part the disadvantages of the prior art by providing a method for monitoring the activities of support vessels for maritime operations, a corresponding monitoring device and computer program, which make it possible to automatically analyze the activities carried out by the vessels using their location data, provided for example by the automatic identification system (AIS) which makes it possible to know the position and route of vessels located in a navigation area.

[0008] To this end, the invention proposes a method for monitoring the activities of vessels supporting maritime operations, implemented in an activity monitoring device, comprising the following steps: - acquisition of a set of data representative of the positions of the ships, and acquisition or determination of data representative of the speeds of the ships, - comparison, for at least one of the vessels, of the vessel's speed with an upper speed threshold, and if the speed is above the upper speed threshold, determination of a transit activity of the vessel, or, if the speed is below the upper speed threshold, search for at least one point of interest located in an area around the vessel and at least one rule associated with that point of interest to determine an active state of the vessel linked to the point of interest or a state of under-occupancy of the vessel, - determination of the time spent by the ship in an active state related to the point of interest, in an under-occupancy state or in transit activity.

[0009] The invention thus makes it possible to distinguish the time spent by the vessel in an active state, which may be linked to a point of interest or a transit activity, from the time spent in an underutilized state. An active state of the vessel in this application corresponds to a state in which the vessel is engaged in an activity and not awaiting assignment to an activity. The step of determining the time spent therefore makes it possible to measure or calculate the time spent by the vessel in at least one active or underutilized state, and to relate this time spent to the total charter time of the vessel in order to derive a data representative of the vessel's productivity.

[0010] For example, the tracking method according to the invention further includes a step of calculating a vessel utilization rate based on the time spent by the vessel in an under-occupancy state and / or a sum of the time spent by the vessel in transit activity and the time spent by the vessel in an active state related to the point of interest.

[0011] It should be noted that the inequality conditions used in the invention, in particular on the speed of the ship to determine possible types of ship activity, are strict inequality conditions or non-strict inequality conditions, the nature of the invention remaining unchanged depending on the use of one or the other possibility.

[0012] Furthermore, the invention applies in particular to support vessels for petroleum operations, but is also applicable to any other fleet of vessels carrying out operations at sea.

[0013] Thanks to the invention, a fleet manager whose activities are monitored using the tracking method according to the invention obtains activity monitoring that is much more objective and contains fewer errors than in the prior art. In particular, the recording of activities is identical for each type of vessel and does not depend on manual entry that could vary from one data entry operator to another. The invention therefore makes it possible to implement objective performance indicators, paving the way for improvements in the management of the fleet of vessels or the vessels themselves.

[0014] Furthermore, since the invention is implemented in hardware and software within an activity tracking device such as a laptop or server, it does not require the installation of specific hardware on board ships. Indeed, the tracking device uses data from the Automatic Identification System (AIS) already present on board the ships.

[0015] The method according to the invention is for example executed dynamically according to a regular rhythm of ship tracking update periods, during which in each acquisition step, the representative data set is limited to a predefined data size, in order to optimize the execution speed of the method.

[0016] Preferably, at least one heading, a ship trajectory, representative data of ship positions and speeds acquired previously in the acquisition step, and / or a distance relative to a target destination are also used to determine a ship's transit activity or to search for the point of interest.

[0017] The data acquired previously in the acquisition step is, for example, acquired during a previous update period of vessel tracking. This allows, in particular, confirmation of the determination of transit activity, by detecting, for example, a target destination for the vessel, or it allows confirmation of a vessel's trajectory towards a point of interest. This use of at least one additional piece of data, besides the vessel's speed and position—such as its heading, trajectory, previous positions and speeds, or its distance relative to a target destination—can also make it possible to determine whether the vessel is in an active state linked to a point of interest or in an under-occupied state.

[0018] In one embodiment of the invention, when, during the comparison step, the ship's speed exceeds the upper speed threshold, the comparison step is followed by a step analyzing the ship's trajectory relative to an optimized trajectory, and this analysis step is followed by a step determining the time loss associated with the sub-optimization of the ship's trajectory. Thus, when the tracking method further includes a step calculating a utilization rate, this calculation preferentially takes into account the time loss due to the sub-optimization of the ship's trajectory, which was not possible using the manual inputs of the prior art.

[0019] According to an optional and advantageous feature of the tracking method according to the invention, during the comparison step, when it is determined that the speed of the vessel is less than the upper speed threshold but greater than a lower speed threshold, then the search step includes searching for an offshore platform located within a predetermined distance of the vessel, the search step resulting, when such an offshore platform is found and when the number of vessels located within the predetermined distance of the offshore platform is less than a predetermined number of vessels, in a determination of an active monitoring activity, or resulting, in the case where said number is greater than the predetermined number of vessels or in the case where such an offshore platform is not found, in a determination of an under-occupancy state of the vessel.

[0020] This feature therefore makes it possible to detect surveillance activity on an offshore platform by the vessel, which is then ready to intervene in the event of a fire on the platform within a short timeframe. The offshore platform corresponds to a specific point of interest to which a rule is associated, using, in particular, the number of vessels required to intervene in the event of a fire on the offshore platform, to distinguish between a vessel awaiting assignment and a vessel conducting surveillance of the offshore platform. Optionally, at the end of the search step, an under-occupancy rate will be assigned to each vessel circling the offshore platform based on the excess number of vessels compared to the predetermined number, or the under-occupancy status will be assigned only to vessels that arrived in excess of those already present.Alternatively, the under-occupancy rate will be determined based on the order of arrival of the ships or according to another rule established by the oil company using the ships. The invention therefore makes it possible to distribute an under-occupancy state across several ships, in order to analyze and subsequently improve the overall performance of the fleet.

[0021] According to another optional and advantageous feature of the tracking method according to the invention, during the comparison step, when the speed of the If the vessel's speed is below the lower speed threshold, then determining whether the vessel is active at the point of interest or under-occupied depends on first identifying the vessel type. The search for the point of interest is also preferably based on the vessel type when the vessel's speed is below the lower speed threshold.

[0022] For example, when the vessel is a support vessel of the supply type, then the point of interest is a quay, the determination of an active state of the vessel linked to the point of interest is the determination of a loading or unloading activity of the supply vessel, and the determination of an under-occupancy state of the vessel is the determination of a delay or a maintenance operation of the supply vessel, said determinations being a function of loading or unloading rules using data representative of a change in the vessel's load over time. In other words, in this case, a coastal or offshore quay is sought in the search step, and the rule associated with this specific point of interest uses the variation of the vessel's load over time.The ship's berthing time can then be analyzed to determine a period of time during which the ship is delayed or undergoing maintenance, this period being deduced from an absence of variation in the ship's load for a period exceeding one or more predefined duration thresholds, and / or to determine a period of time for loading or unloading the ship, deduced from a non-zero variation in the ship's load over this period of time.

[0023] In another example, when the vessel is a tug-type support vessel, then the point of interest is a floating structure, and the determination of an active state of the tug-vessel related to the point of interest is the determination of a towing activity, said determination being a function of towing rules using the position and relative speed of the tug-vessel with respect to the floating structure.

[0024] The floating structure is, for example, a floating or fixed platform, or an oil tanker. In other words, in this example, the point of interest may itself be a ship whose position is not fixed.

[0025] According to another optional and advantageous feature of the tracking method according to the invention, it further comprises a learning step of at least one new point of interest and at least one rule associated with the new point of interest, said learning step comprising a step of analyzing at least one trajectory of one of the ships to detect the new point of interest.

[0026] This learning step is implemented, for example, during the search step when no pre-recorded point of interest in the activity tracking device is found. This step uses an analysis of the ships' trajectories to deduce new points of interest. The speed of the ships on this trajectory, or the geometry of the trajectory, allow this deduction. For example, a circular trajectory of a ship indicates the presence of a point of interest at the center of the circular trajectory. The learning step includes, for example, confirmation by a user of the detected point of interest, and manual input by the user of the type of point of interest or activities related to the point of interest, from which the software implementing the tracking method according to the invention in the tracking device can reuse or adapt rules related to similar points of interest.

[0027] It should be noted that the point of interest is not necessarily a single point, but can be a fairly large geographical area such as a prospecting zone. In this case, the software can detect it due to the low speed of ships in this area and / or a specific function assigned to the ship. Furthermore, the rule used during the search step may depend on the type of ship and the type of activity that the ship can carry out in relation to the point of interest found during this step.

[0028] The invention also relates to a device for monitoring the activities of vessels supporting maritime operations, comprising: - means of acquiring a set of data representative of the positions of ships, and of acquiring or determining data representative of the speeds of ships, - a memory in which points of interest and rules related to each point of interest are stored, - means of comparison for at least one of the ships, of the ship's speed with a high speed threshold, means of determining a transit activity of the ship when the speed is above the high speed threshold, and means of searching for at least one point of interest located in an area around the ship, and at least one rule associated with this point of interest to determine an active state of the ship linked to the point of interest or to determine an under-occupancy state of the ship, when the speed is below the high speed threshold, - and means of determining the time spent by the ship in an active state related to the point of interest, in an under-occupancy state or in transit activity.

[0029] Preferably, the device for monitoring the activities of ships supporting maritime operations according to the invention further comprises means for using at least one heading, a ship trajectory, representative data of ship positions and speeds acquired by the acquisition means, and / or a distance relative to a target destination, the means for using cooperating with the means for determining a transit activity of the ship and the means for searching for at least one point of interest.

[0030] The tracking device according to the invention implements the tracking method according to the invention in a software and hardware manner, for example the tracking device It includes software and a communication module capable of receiving all the data provided by the Automatic Identification System (AIS). The memory storing the points of interest and the rules associated with these points of interest is, for example, a database. The software applies the rules associated with the point of interest found during the search phase to determine a vessel's activity or directly its active or passive state. To do this, the software implements, for example, an inference engine when the process uses an expert system.

[0031] The tracking device according to the invention further preferably comprises means for acquiring data representative of the evolution of a ship's load over time, and means for analyzing the trajectories of each ship. These means enable it to detect loading or unloading activity and to implement the learning phase of the tracking method according to the invention.

[0032] The invention finally relates to a computer program comprising program code instructions for the execution of the steps of the tracking method according to the invention, when said program is executed on one or more processors.

[0033] The tracking device according to the invention and the computer program according to the invention have advantages similar to those of the tracking method according to the invention.

[0034] Other features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description on the one hand, and from several illustrative and non-limiting examples of embodiments given by reference to the accompanying schematic drawings on the other hand, in which:

[0035] [Fig-1] illustrates a device for monitoring the activities of support vessels maritime operations according to the invention, and data exchanges between this tracking device and other entities involved in these activities, in one embodiment of the invention, and

[0036] [Fig.2] represents steps in a process for monitoring the activities of support vessels to maritime operations according to the invention, implemented in the tracking device of the [Fig.1], in an embodiment of the invention.

[0037] According to an embodiment of the invention shown in [Fig. 1], a tracking device 1 for the activities of support vessels for maritime operations according to the invention is used to track the activities of support vessels 3 for petroleum operations. The fleet of vessels 3 comprises numbered vessels 3i, i ranging from 1 to N, N being the number of vessels 3 tracked by the tracking device 1.

[0038] The tracking device 1 is, for example, a laptop or desktop computer, or a server, located on the premises of an oil company responsible for tracking ships 3. It includes a communication module 12, for example an Ethernet network card, capable of communicating with a server 2 of an automatic identification system SIA accessible via the internet. This server 2 provides the tracking device 1 with the positions, speeds, past trajectories and headings of the ships 3.

[0039] The tracking device 1 also includes a memory 16, comprising a read-only memory (ROM) and a random access memory (RAM), storing location data for points of interest such as coastal or offshore docks, maritime work zones, oil platforms, or mooring buoys. The memory 16 also stores rules associated with each of these points of interest, as will be explained later. This memory 16 further stores software code for implementing a tracking method 100 (referenced in [Fig. 2]) for the activities of vessels supporting maritime operations according to the invention.

[0040] Alternatively, the tracking device 1 does not use the server 2 of the SIA automatic identification system, but receives the positions of the vessels 3 directly from receivers installed in each of the vessels 3, these receivers being those used by the SIA automatic identification system. Furthermore, alternatively, the tracking device 1 acquires only the positions of the vessels 3 using its communication module 12, and deduces the speeds, directions, and trajectories of each of the vessels 3 itself.

[0041] Furthermore, the supply ships of the fleet of ships 3 each include, in this embodiment of the invention, a sensor of a ship's load, providing the tracking device 1 via the communication module 12 with data representative of the evolution of the cargo of each of these supply ships as a function of time, this data being for example expressed in tonnes.

[0042] The tracking device 1 further includes at least a processor 14, in which is executed the software whose code is stored in memory 16, and includes a human-machine interface 18 such as a screen or a terminal allowing in particular a user to view the activity tracking implemented by the software, and to enter new points of interest or new rules associated with these new points of interest.

[0043] The method for monitoring the activities of ships 3 is now described in relation to [Fig.2]. A first step 110 of the tracking process 100 is the acquisition of data representing the positions Pi of each of the ships 3, and the speeds Vi of each of the ships 3. During this first step 110, the tracking device 1 also acquires or consolidates, as it receives the position and speed data, the trajectories of the ships 3, taken since the beginning of an operational period. It also receives the headings or courses of each of the ships 3, and data representing the load of each of the supply ships in the fleet of ships 3. The first step 110 is therefore preferably carried out in real time during a period of ship operation 3, or is carried out after this period of operation. In the latter case, the tracking device 1 retrieves, at least in this acquisition step 110, the different positions Pi of each of the ships as a function of time over the entire period of operation, analyzed afterwards.

[0044] A second step 120 of the monitoring method 100 is the comparison, for each vessel 3i, of the vessel's speed Vi with a high speed threshold S2. The high speed threshold S2 is, for example, taken to be four knots, and is preferably greater than 3 knots.

[0045] When the speed Vi of a vessel 3i exceeds the upper speed threshold S2, the software determines 130 that the vessel 3i is in transit and is therefore considered active. The next step 140 is an analysis of the route taken by the vessel 3i. In particular, during this analysis 140, the software detects an initial point of interest previously left by the vessel 3i and a target point of interest based on the vessel's direction. This allows it to establish an optimized trajectory between the initial point of interest and the target point of interest, taking into account factors such as ocean currents and weather conditions. During the analysis step 140, the software compares the trajectory of the vessel 3i with this optimized trajectory and determines 150, when the trajectory of the vessel 3i differs from this optimized trajectory, a loss of time due to sub-optimization of the vessel 3i's trajectory.This loss of time can therefore be taken into account in the planned improvements to the utilization rate of the 3i vessel. In this step 150, the software also determines the time spent by the 3i vessel in its transit activity.

[0046] Conversely, when, at the end of comparison step 120, the software determines that the ship's speed Vi is lower than the upper speed threshold S2, but higher than a lower speed threshold SI, taken, for example, to be 1 knot, then the software searches for an offshore platform 162 in the vicinity of the ship 3i and at least one rule associated with that offshore platform. The lower speed threshold SI can, of course, have a value other than 1 knot, but be less than or equal to 2 knots, for example, between 0.5 knots and 2 knots.

[0047] Indeed, when vessel 3i is within a speed range between the lower speed threshold SI and the upper speed threshold S2, it is generally circling an offshore platform for a surveillance or security mission. This mission primarily consists of fire watch, and it will have been verified beforehand, in this embodiment of the invention, that all vessels 3 are equipped with a fire hose and are therefore capable of intervening in the event of a fire on the offshore platform, in this case an oil platform.

[0048] For example, it is assumed that during this search step 162, the software determines that vessel 3i is in the vicinity, i.e., for example, less than one kilometer or less than half an hour's navigation, of an offshore platform. It then searches memory 16 for a rule to establish whether vessel 3i is in an active surveillance activity or awaiting assignment of an activity, i.e., whether it is in an active state associated with the point of interest constituted by the offshore oil platform, or whether it is in a state of under-occupancy.

[0049] The rules associated with the points of interest in memory 16 are specific to each oil company. Thus, in this embodiment of the invention, it is assumed that the oil company estimates that only two ships (Nb) are needed to extinguish a fire on the offshore platform. The rule found by the software in this search step 162 is associated with the offshore platform and the surveillance missions related to this platform. It indicates that if, upon the arrival of ship 3i near the offshore platform, at least Nb ships are already conducting a surveillance mission around this offshore platform, then ship 3i is under-occupied; otherwise, ship 3i is actively monitoring the offshore platform.The rule also specifies a maximum predetermined distance that vessels must maintain around the offshore platform to be considered engaged in active surveillance. In this embodiment of the invention, this maximum predetermined distance is approximately one kilometer. Finally, the rule may also specify a minimum navigation time around the offshore platform, or a trajectory geometry, for example circular, around the offshore platform, that vessels must adhere to in order to be considered engaged in active surveillance.

[0050] The next step 172 is therefore the determination of whether the vessel 3i is in an active surveillance activity or whether the vessel is in a state of under-occupancy, by applying the rule found in step 162.

[0051] The next step 182 is finally the determination of the time spent by the vessel 3i in this active surveillance activity, or in a state of under-occupancy, according to the result of the previous step 172.

[0052] During the search step 162 or the determination steps 172, 182, the software may compare the ship's speed Vi with an optimal, energy-efficient speed for this type of surveillance mission. This provides the oil company with an area for improvement in the use of its fleet of ships 3.

[0053] Returning to the comparison step 120, when the software determines in this comparison step 120 that the speed Vi of the vessel 3i is below the low speed threshold SI, then the next step 160 is the search for at least one point of interest POIj located in an area around the vessel 3i depending in particular on the type Ti of the vessel 3i.

[0054] For example, when ship 3i is of the supply ship type, then during the step In search 160, the software searches for a coastal or offshore wharf as a point of interest (POIj) and an associated loading or unloading rule (Rjk). This rule (Rjk) defines, for example, a minimum increase in the load of vessel 3i over a predetermined period to consider vessel 3i as being in a loading activity, and a minimum decrease in the load of vessel 3i over a predetermined period to consider vessel 3i as being in an unloading activity.

[0055] In the case of a 3i supply vessel, the next step 170 is to determine whether there is loading or unloading activity on the supply vessel, or whether there is a delay or maintenance operation on the supply vessel 3i, using the loading or unloading rule and data representing the evolution of the load on the vessel 3i during the vessel 3i's berthing time at the quay. A delay is detected when the load on the vessel 3i does not change for a predetermined minimum time, while the software detects loading or unloading activity before or after this predetermined minimum time. Finally, a maintenance operation is detected if no loading or unloading activity is detected during the entire berthing time of the vessel 3i at the quay.

[0056] The next step 180 is then to determine the time spent by the vessel 3i in each of the states detected previously, that is to say, in a loading, unloading, delayed, or maintenance activity. The time spent in a maintenance operation is considered as time when the vessel is under-occupied or passive, in this embodiment of the invention. Alternatively, this time spent in maintenance could be taken into account in an active state of the vessel.

[0057] When vessel 3i is a tugboat, then during search step 160, the software searches for a point of interest (POIj) that is either an oil tanker or a floating platform, at a predetermined minimum distance from vessel 3i. The software also searches memory 16 for a rule Rjk associated with the towing activity and the point of interest found at the end of this search step 160. This rule Rjk specifies, for example, that vessel 3i and the floating structure, consisting of the oil tanker or the floating platform, must move at the same speed and in the same direction.

[0058] In the next step 170 the software therefore applies this rule Rjk to determine whether the vessel 3i is in a towing activity, or in a state of under-occupancy.

[0059] Then the software determines 180 the time spent by the vessel 3i in the towing activity or in the previously determined under-occupancy state.

[0060] When vessel 3i is of the anchor-laying vessel type, then during search step 160, the software searches as a point of interest POIj both a coastal or offshore quay and a floating structure that the anchor-laying vessel could tow. Indeed, such a vessel has refueling and towing capabilities. The steps The following are then similar to those described above in relation to the supply ship or tugboat depending on the point of interest found.

[0061] Finally, when vessel 3i is of the subsea work vessel type, then during search step 160, the software searches for a work area. If vessel 3i remains in this work area for a minimum duration, then the software determines 170 that vessel 3i is engaged in subsea work activity, and then determines 180 the time spent by vessel 3i in this activity.

[0062] In this embodiment of the invention, when, in search step 160, the software does not find a point of interest associated with the type Ti of vessel 3i, it then implements a learning step 200 for a new point of interest and a rule associated with the new point of interest. During this learning step 200, the software analyzes the trajectory of vessel 3i and possibly other vessels in the fleet of vessels 3, to detect the new point of interest. For example, this new point of interest is a point around which vessel 3i is turning, or a slowdown zone for vessels in the fleet of vessels 3. The software then requests confirmation from a user, via the Human-Machine Interface 18, of the new point of interest detected, as well as its qualification. The software then proposes a rule associated with the new point of interest and has it validated by the user.

[0063] Finally, a last step 190 of the monitoring process 100 is the calculation 190 of a vessel utilization rate 3i, based on the time spent by vessel 3i in an active state or in an under-occupancy state. The active state corresponds to activity detected during step 130, step 172, or step 170, while the under-occupancy state corresponds to an absence of detected activity. The utilization rate may take into account the time lost due to the sub-optimization of the vessel's trajectory determined in step 150.

[0064] Of course, the invention is not limited to the examples just described, and many modifications can be made to these examples without departing from the scope of the invention. In particular, the features of different embodiments can be combined to carry out the invention, provided that these embodiments are not incompatible with each other.

Claims

Claims

1. Method for monitoring (100) the activities of vessels (3) supporting maritime operations, implemented in an activity monitoring device (1), comprising steps of: acquiring (110) a set of data representative of the positions (Pi) of the vessels (3), and acquiring or determining data representative of the speeds (Vi) of the vessels (3), comparing (120) for at least one of the vessels (3), the speed (Vi) of the vessel (3i) with a high speed threshold (S2), and if the speed (Vi) is greater than the high speed threshold (S2), determining (130) a transit activity of the vessel (3i), or, if the speed (Vi) is less than the high speed threshold (S2), searching (160, 162) for at least one point of interest (POIj) located in an area around the vessel (3i) and for at least one rule (Rjk) associated with this point of interest (POIj) to determine (170, 172) an active state of the vessel (3i) linked to the point of interest (POIj) or an under-occupation state of the vessel (3i),determining (180, 182) the time spent by the vessel (3i) in an active state linked to the point of interest (POIj), in an under-occupied state or in a transit activity.,

2. Method for monitoring (100) the activities of vessels (3) supporting maritime operations according to claim 1, in which at least one heading, a trajectory of the vessel, data representative of positions and speeds of the vessel acquired previously in the acquisition step, and / or a distance relative to a target destination are also used, to determine (130) a transit activity of the vessel (3i) or to search (160, 162) for the point of interest (POIj).

3. Method for monitoring (100) the activities of vessels (3) supporting maritime operations according to claim 2, wherein when in the comparison step (120), the speed (Vi) of the vessel (3i) is greater than the high speed threshold (S2), then the comparison step (120) is followed by a step of analyzing (140) the trajectory of the vessel (3i) with respect to an optimized trajectory, and the analysis step (140) is followed by a step of determining (150) a loss of time linked to a sub-optimization of the trajectory of the vessel (3i).

4. Method for monitoring (100) the activities of ships (3) supporting maritime operations according to any one of claims 1 to 3, comprising a step of calculating (190) a utilization rate of the ship (3i), depending on the time spent by the vessel (3i) in an underoccupied state and / or a sum of the time spent by the vessel (3i) in a transit activity and the time spent by the vessel (3i) in an active state linked to the point of interest (POIj).

5. Method for monitoring (100) the activities of vessels (3) supporting maritime operations according to claims 3 and 4, in which the utilization rate takes into account the loss of time due to the sub-optimization of the trajectory of the vessel (3i).

6. A method for monitoring (100) the activities of vessels (3) supporting maritime operations according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein during the comparison step (120), when it is determined that the speed (Vi) of the vessel (3i) is lower than the high speed threshold (S2) but higher than a low speed threshold (SI), then the search step (162) comprises searching for an offshore platform located less than a predetermined distance from the vessel (3i), the search step (162) resulting, when such an offshore platform is found and when the number (Nb) of vessels (3) located less than the predetermined distance from the offshore platform is lower than a predetermined number of vessels (3), in a determination (172) of an active monitoring activity, or resulting, in the case where said number (Nb) is higher than the predetermined number of vessels (3) or in the case where such a platform offshore is not found,in a determination (172) of a state of under-occupation of the vessel (3i).,

7. Method for monitoring (100) the activities of vessels (3) supporting maritime operations according to claim 6, in which during the comparison step (120), when it is determined that the speed (Vi) of the vessel (3i) is lower than the low speed threshold (SI), then the determination (170) of an active state of the vessel (3i) linked to the point of interest (POIj) or of an under-occupation state of the vessel (3i) is a function of a prior determination of a type (Ti) of the vessel (3i).

8. Method for monitoring (100) the activities of vessels (3) supporting maritime operations according to claim 7, wherein when the vessel (3i) is a supply vessel, then the point of interest (POIj) is a quay, the determination (170) of an active state of the vessel (3i) linked to the point of interest (POIj) is the determination of a loading or unloading activity of the supply vessel, and the determination (170) of an under-occupation state of the vessel (3i) is the determination of a delay or a maintenance operation of the vessel refuel, said determinations (170) being a function of loading or unloading rules using data representative of an evolution of a load of the ship (3i) as a function of time.

9. Method for monitoring (100) the activities of vessels (3) supporting maritime operations according to claim 7, wherein when the vessel (3i) is a tug-type support vessel, then the point of interest (POIj) is a floating structure, and the determination (170) of an active state of the tug vessel linked to the point of interest (POIj) is the determination of a towing activity, said determination (170) being a function of towing rules using the position and relative speed of the tug vessel with respect to the floating structure.

10. Method for monitoring (100) the activities of vessels (3) supporting maritime operations according to any one of claims 1 to 9, further comprising a step of learning (200) at least one new point of interest (POIj) and at least one rule (Rjk) associated with the new point of interest (POIj), said learning step (200) comprising a step of analyzing at least one trajectory of one of the vessels (3) to detect the new point of interest (POIj).

11. Device (1) for monitoring the activities of vessels (3) supporting maritime operations, comprising: means (12) for acquiring a set of data representative of the positions (Pi) of the vessels (3), and for acquiring or determining data representative of the speeds (Vi) of the vessels (3), a memory (16) in which points of interest (POIj) and rules (Rjk) linked to each of the points of interest (POIj) are recorded, means (14) for comparing, for at least one of the vessels (3), the speed (Vi) of the vessel (3i) with a high speed threshold (S2), means (14) for determining a transit activity of the vessel (3i) when the speed (Vi) is greater than the high speed threshold (S2), and means (14) for searching for at least one point of interest (POIj) located in an area around the vessel (3i),and at least one rule (Rjk) associated with this point of interest (POIj) to determine an active state of the vessel (3i) linked to the point of interest (POIj) or to determine a state of under-occupation of the vessel (3i), when the speed (Vi) is lower than the high speed threshold (S2), and means for determining (14) the time spent by the vessel (3i) in an active state linked to the point of interest (POIj), in a state of under-occupation or in a transit activity.,

12. Device (1) for monitoring the activities of vessels (3) supporting maritime operations according to claim 11, further comprising means for using at least one heading, a trajectory of the vessel, data representative of positions and speeds of the vessel acquired by the acquisition means, and / or a distance relative to a target destination, the means of use cooperating with the means (14) for determining a transit activity of the vessel (3i) and the means (14) for searching for at least one point of interest (POIj).

13. Device (1) for monitoring the activities of vessels (3) supporting maritime operations according to claim 11 or 12, further comprising means (12) for acquiring data representative of a change in a load of the vessel (3i) as a function of time, and means (14) for analyzing the trajectories of each of the vessels (3).

14. Computer program comprising program code instructions for executing the steps of the method for tracking (100) the activities of vessels (3) supporting maritime operations according to any one of claims 1 to 10, when said program is executed on one or more processors.

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