The Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT-M) has developed a digital twin platform named SEANAV (Sea Navigation) to accelerate research and development in autonomous shipping, enabling navigation systems to be tested and trained in simulated maritime environments without the costs and risks associated with real-world sea trials.
Developed by IIT-M’s Department of Ocean Engineering, SEANAV recreates ocean conditions, vessel movements and shipping traffic in a virtual environment. The platform allows researchers to test autonomous navigation algorithms, assess collision-avoidance strategies and train both autonomous systems and human operators under simulated maritime conditions.
The development comes as India steps up efforts to modernise its maritime sector through initiatives such as the Sagarmala Programme and Maritime India Vision 2030, which emphasise digitalisation, smart ports, improved operational efficiency and safer shipping operations.
Built on the Unity3D engine, SEANAV has been calibrated using a benchmark tanker measuring approximately 320 metres in length. Its multi-sensor framework integrates inputs from LiDAR and stereo-vision cameras to detect surrounding vessels and determine their positions. Sensor-fusion techniques, including Kalman filtering, are used to improve the accuracy and reliability of navigation information.
A key component of the research is DetectShips, a dataset comprising 14,000 real-world ship images developed to support vessel detection and classification. The researchers have also evaluated computer-vision models under different lighting conditions and visual obstructions to assess their performance in challenging maritime environments.
Unlike conventional simulators that often assume ideal sensor inputs, SEANAV accounts for real-world limitations, including sensor noise and processing delays. The platform also incorporates marine radar and a virtual reality interface powered by Meta Quest headsets, allowing maritime professionals to experience simulated ship-bridge environments and train for vessel manoeuvring, port approaches and emergency situations.
The research team has successfully demonstrated autonomous path-following and AI-driven collision avoidance under simulated wave and sensor conditions. Its ability to simulate multiple vessels could further support research into navigation in congested shipping channels, coastal surveillance and search-and-rescue operations.
According to Suresh Rajendran, Associate Professor in the Department of Ocean Engineering at IIT Madras, who led the research, SEANAV provides a realistic and scalable environment for developing and validating autonomous maritime navigation technologies.
He said the integration of digital twins, artificial intelligence, advanced sensor fusion and virtual reality would enable autonomous systems and human operators to be trained safely and efficiently before their deployment in real-world maritime operations.
The technology could eventually support AI-assisted navigation at major Indian ports, including Chennai, Mumbai, Visakhapatnam and Kochi. Improved navigation systems are expected to help reduce collision and grounding risks while also contributing to lower fuel consumption, reduced carbon emissions and fewer environmental accidents.
The multisensor-fusion findings from the research have been published in the peer-reviewed Journal of Offshore Mechanics and Arctic Engineering. Related research was also presented at international conferences in Vancouver in 2025 and Tokyo in 2026.
With autonomous shipping emerging as an important area of maritime innovation, SEANAV could provide an important research platform for developing safer, more efficient and technology-driven vessel navigation solutions in India.