ABSTRACT
This paper assesses the spatial distribution of near collision clusters off the continental coast of Portugal. The Moran’s I and Getis-Ord Gi* spatial autocorrelation methods are used to determine whether ship near collisions show spatial clustering from global and local perspectives. The application of the developed approach to Automatic Identification System data of the maritime traffic off the coast of Portugal shows that there are several hotspot areas where the density of ship near collisions is relatively high. The identification of near collisions clusters and their characterization provide the basis for stablishing geographical maps of collision risk for improving maritime safety and reducing the occurrence of ship-ship collisions.
