Auto-constructed PID-based search algorithm for ship parameter identification under environmental disturbances

The increasing complexity of offshore operations requires high-precision ship models to accurately predict ship motions and improve control accuracy and safety. Identifying the hydrodynamic parameters of ships in real environments characterized by environmental disturbances and sensor process noise is essential for developing accurate and reliable mathematical models. Therefore, this paper proposes an auto-constructed PID-based search algorithm (AC-PSA) for ship parameter identification. Comparative experiments show that the execution time of AC-PSA is reduced by 20% compared with the original algorithm on complex models. The effectiveness of the proposed algorithm is verified by illustrative examples, especially the full-scale test using the digital twin research experimental ship ‘Dolphin 1’. The results show that the algorithm can reliably identify ship parameters and accurately capture the real ship dynamics even in the presence of environmental disturbances and sensor process noise.