Trend Research on Maritime Autonomous Surface Ships (MASSs) Based on Shipboard Electronics: Focusing on Text Mining and Network Analysis

Round 1

Reviewer 1 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

○ Overview

This study attempts to explore a comprehensive study of Maritime Autonomous Surface Ships (MASS) based on co-occurrence word analysis and Latent Dirichlet Allocation (LDA) topic model, but requires significant revisions in important aspects of each section, which are noted in the form of comments to the authors. Although this study addresses trends in the lead topic of Maritime Autonomous Surface Ships (MASS), it requires significant improvements in both research design, interpretation of results and presentation. In particular, the study needs to clarify its societal improvement objectives and methodology, derive concrete results through in-depth analysis of empirical data, and suggest ways to contribute to practical technology development or policy proposals at the IMO, domestic maritime technology sector, shipbuilding sector, MET and operational management. If these points are improved, this study will be able to find and link important knowledge in the field of autonomous ships.

 

○ Introduction

※ Improvements to the size of Figure 1 and lack of explanation of the year the statistics begin

: Figure 1 is presented in an overly large format, which distracts the reader's attention and is disproportionate to the other important content of the paper. The size of the figures in this study should be appropriate enough to effectively convey the content, and we would expect it to be revised to harmonise with the overall layout of the paper. In particular, the authors lack an explanation of the specific reason why the statistics started in 2018 and why it is significant, which does not help the reader understand why this choice makes sense. Furthermore, the authors fail to explain how their choice of years in relation to the time series context of this study actually affects the results of this study.

 

※ Inadequate explanation of the study's purpose: There are problems with the study's analysis of the issue trends and the correlation between electric propulsion and autonomous ships. In particular, the purpose section of the study appears to examine the development of autonomous ships (MASS) and their relevance to electric propulsion systems, but lacks a specific explanation of the relationship between these two factors. In addition, the authors need to clarify their objectives by providing a clear rationale and real-world examples of how electric propulsion systems contribute to the development of MASS and why they are important. Furthermore, although the analysis of trends related to autonomous navigation is one of the central objectives of the study, there is a lack of in-depth analysis of how specific technological advances or policy changes can actually lead to practical changes in the market or regulatory framework, in order to provide current and future research directions.

 

※ Superficial interpretation of findings and lack of problem-solving : However, their interpretation of the data derived from these techniques is superficial and lacks an explanation of the implications of the connections. The authors utilize analytical techniques such as co-occurrence word analysis and the Latent Dirichlet Allocation (LDA) topic model in this study. However, their interpretation of the data derived from these techniques is superficial and lacks an explanation of the implications of the connections. However, their interpretation of the data derived from these techniques is superficial and lacks an explanation of the implications of the connections. It is crucial to provide a clear and concise explanation of how these findings can contribute to solving practical problems. This research identifies trends and issues in MASS-related technologies, operations, algorithms, etc. These findings can be confidently applied to inform future government policies, educational institutions, shipping and shipbuilding operations, equipment development, and industrial strategies.

 

※ Absence of sources and programme descriptions explaining tables and figures: Figure 1 and the tables in this paper present significant statistics and trends on Maritime Autonomous Surface Ships (MASS). To ensure the reliability and reproducibility of their findings, the authors should provide more information about the sources of these visuals and the tools used to create them. This will allow for a more thorough evaluation of their research and conclusions. The authors must include the names and versions of the data and software used in this study, along with an overview of the relevant code. To enhance research transparency and allow readers to verify or extend findings, it is essential for authors to include the exact software used in figures and tables. Furthermore, authors should include the source of the raw data values used to generate these graphics as an appendix, if possible. This will make the paper more robust and informative.

 

○ Result

Lack of research context and meaning of the analysis results: A specific analysis is necessary to demonstrate how each keyword presented in 'Table 5: Results of Co-occurrence Analysis' relates to the algorithms, ethical and technical issues, and policy aspects of autonomous ships, and how they can have a practical impact on their development.

 

※ Lack of interpretation of the practical implications of research trends by country: While the study uses an approach that categorises papers by country to find correlations, it lacks deeper implications and interpretation/analysis of the results to understand why this categorisation is important and how research trends in each country interact with the global development of autonomous ships. It is important to clarify how differences in research across countries affect the adoption, pace of development, and policy formulation of autonomous ship technology.

※ Strengthen meaningful connections through critical and intellectual examples in the results section: To reinforce these meaningful connections, it is essential to include critical and intellectual examples in the results section. The results presented in the 'Table 5. Results of Co-occurrence Analysis' section of this research paper provide crucial information for exploring the linkages between the technical, ethical, and policy issues of autonomous ships. This will undoubtedly enhance the overall impact of the research. The practical applicability and implications of these findings are difficult to understand due to a lack of interpretation on how they relate to each other. This study presents a unique opportunity to expand our understanding of this topic and its significance. However, this study's limited depth and scope do not diminish the importance of its insights. By analysing trends across countries, we can gain valuable insights into the reasons behind these findings and their potential impact. To improve these points, we need a thorough analysis to determine how each keyword and research trend impacts different aspects of autonomous ship development. With a detailed analysis, we can confidently identify the most effective strategies for improving autonomous ship development.

 

※ Poor quality of Figures <1-6> and lack of explanation of abbreviations and symbols: The quality of the figures presented in this study is low, which makes important data and information unclear. Therefore, the authors are strongly advised to improve the quality of the figures in order to increase the novelty of the study, as the poor quality of the figures compromises the precision of the data contained in them, which casts doubt on the reliability of the study's findings. In addition, sufficient explanations are not provided for several abbreviations and symbols used in the figures included in the conclusion. As these abbreviations and symbols represent key elements of the study data, it is essential to clearly explain their exact meaning and purpose of use. Furthermore, the authors should consider adding legends or symbols within the figures of the study to clarify each element.

 

○ Discussion and Conclusion

※ Discussion section

- Lack of specificity in the findings: The study's statement that "China has the highest quality of MASS research, with the US and South Korea actively conducting research" (lines 517-518) is interesting, but lacks explanation of how this assessment was made. In this regard, specific examples of how research in each country has led to tangible technological advances or policy changes should be provided to provide a basis for empirical improvement.

- Lack of clarity on expected impacts: While the report includes a discussion of the "policy, societal, and international security implications" of the introduction of autonomous ships (line 539), no specific strategies for anticipating and preparing for these changes are presented. For example, the implications of the widespread introduction of autonomous ships should be analysed in detail, including what new demands they will place on maritime traffic management systems and what technological or policy measures might be needed to respond to them.

 

※ Conclusion section

- Limitations and specific suggestions for improvement: While the authors mention that they "only used data from the Web of Science" as a limitation of their study (lines 543-544) is a good starting point, future research could include, for example, real-time data collection to analyse the actual operation of autonomous ships, or additional relevant literature and qualitative interviews from different countries and disciplines. This would broaden the scope of the study and allow the impact of autonomous ships to be assessed from a wider range of perspectives.

- Practical applications of the research: Authors should build on the findings of the research and provide examples of "how autonomous vessel technology can make concrete contributions to maritime safety, environmental protection, increased operational efficiency, etc.", with the potential for practical applications. For example, authors should describe specific technical methods or examples of how autonomous vessels could reduce maritime accidents, contribute to marine environmental protection, etc.

 

Comments on the Quality of English Language

○ Overview

This study attempts to explore a comprehensive study of Maritime Autonomous Surface Ships (MASS) based on co-occurrence word analysis and Latent Dirichlet Allocation (LDA) topic model, but requires significant revisions in important aspects of each section, which are noted in the form of comments to the authors. Although this study addresses trends in the lead topic of Maritime Autonomous Surface Ships (MASS), it requires significant improvements in both research design, interpretation of results and presentation. In particular, the study needs to clarify its societal improvement objectives and methodology, derive concrete results through in-depth analysis of empirical data, and suggest ways to contribute to practical technology development or policy proposals at the IMO, domestic maritime technology sector, shipbuilding sector, MET and operational management. If these points are improved, this study will be able to find and link important knowledge in the field of autonomous ships.

 

○ Introduction

※ Improvements to the size of Figure 1 and lack of explanation of the year the statistics begin

: Figure 1 is presented in an overly large format, which distracts the reader's attention and is disproportionate to the other important content of the paper. The size of the figures in this study should be appropriate enough to effectively convey the content, and we would expect it to be revised to harmonise with the overall layout of the paper. In particular, the authors lack an explanation of the specific reason why the statistics started in 2018 and why it is significant, which does not help the reader understand why this choice makes sense. Furthermore, the authors fail to explain how their choice of years in relation to the time series context of this study actually affects the results of this study.

 

※ Inadequate explanation of the study's purpose: There are problems with the study's analysis of the issue trends and the correlation between electric propulsion and autonomous ships. In particular, the purpose section of the study appears to examine the development of autonomous ships (MASS) and their relevance to electric propulsion systems, but lacks a specific explanation of the relationship between these two factors. In addition, the authors need to clarify their objectives by providing a clear rationale and real-world examples of how electric propulsion systems contribute to the development of MASS and why they are important. Furthermore, although the analysis of trends related to autonomous navigation is one of the central objectives of the study, there is a lack of in-depth analysis of how specific technological advances or policy changes can actually lead to practical changes in the market or regulatory framework, in order to provide current and future research directions.

 

※ Superficial interpretation of findings and lack of problem-solving : However, their interpretation of the data derived from these techniques is superficial and lacks an explanation of the implications of the connections. The authors utilize analytical techniques such as co-occurrence word analysis and the Latent Dirichlet Allocation (LDA) topic model in this study. However, their interpretation of the data derived from these techniques is superficial and lacks an explanation of the implications of the connections. However, their interpretation of the data derived from these techniques is superficial and lacks an explanation of the implications of the connections. It is crucial to provide a clear and concise explanation of how these findings can contribute to solving practical problems. This research identifies trends and issues in MASS-related technologies, operations, algorithms, etc. These findings can be confidently applied to inform future government policies, educational institutions, shipping and shipbuilding operations, equipment development, and industrial strategies.

 

※ Absence of sources and programme descriptions explaining tables and figures: Figure 1 and the tables in this paper present significant statistics and trends on Maritime Autonomous Surface Ships (MASS). To ensure the reliability and reproducibility of their findings, the authors should provide more information about the sources of these visuals and the tools used to create them. This will allow for a more thorough evaluation of their research and conclusions. The authors must include the names and versions of the data and software used in this study, along with an overview of the relevant code. To enhance research transparency and allow readers to verify or extend findings, it is essential for authors to include the exact software used in figures and tables. Furthermore, authors should include the source of the raw data values used to generate these graphics as an appendix, if possible. This will make the paper more robust and informative.

 

○ Result

Lack of research context and meaning of the analysis results: A specific analysis is necessary to demonstrate how each keyword presented in 'Table 5: Results of Co-occurrence Analysis' relates to the algorithms, ethical and technical issues, and policy aspects of autonomous ships, and how they can have a practical impact on their development.

 

※ Lack of interpretation of the practical implications of research trends by country: While the study uses an approach that categorises papers by country to find correlations, it lacks deeper implications and interpretation/analysis of the results to understand why this categorisation is important and how research trends in each country interact with the global development of autonomous ships. It is important to clarify how differences in research across countries affect the adoption, pace of development, and policy formulation of autonomous ship technology.

※ Strengthen meaningful connections through critical and intellectual examples in the results section: To reinforce these meaningful connections, it is essential to include critical and intellectual examples in the results section. The results presented in the 'Table 5. Results of Co-occurrence Analysis' section of this research paper provide crucial information for exploring the linkages between the technical, ethical, and policy issues of autonomous ships. This will undoubtedly enhance the overall impact of the research. The practical applicability and implications of these findings are difficult to understand due to a lack of interpretation on how they relate to each other. This study presents a unique opportunity to expand our understanding of this topic and its significance. However, this study's limited depth and scope do not diminish the importance of its insights. By analysing trends across countries, we can gain valuable insights into the reasons behind these findings and their potential impact. To improve these points, we need a thorough analysis to determine how each keyword and research trend impacts different aspects of autonomous ship development. With a detailed analysis, we can confidently identify the most effective strategies for improving autonomous ship development.

 

※ Poor quality of Figures <1-6> and lack of explanation of abbreviations and symbols: The quality of the figures presented in this study is low, which makes important data and information unclear. Therefore, the authors are strongly advised to improve the quality of the figures in order to increase the novelty of the study, as the poor quality of the figures compromises the precision of the data contained in them, which casts doubt on the reliability of the study's findings. In addition, sufficient explanations are not provided for several abbreviations and symbols used in the figures included in the conclusion. As these abbreviations and symbols represent key elements of the study data, it is essential to clearly explain their exact meaning and purpose of use. Furthermore, the authors should consider adding legends or symbols within the figures of the study to clarify each element.

 

○ Discussion and Conclusion

※ Discussion section

- Lack of specificity in the findings: The study's statement that "China has the highest quality of MASS research, with the US and South Korea actively conducting research" (lines 517-518) is interesting, but lacks explanation of how this assessment was made. In this regard, specific examples of how research in each country has led to tangible technological advances or policy changes should be provided to provide a basis for empirical improvement.

- Lack of clarity on expected impacts: While the report includes a discussion of the "policy, societal, and international security implications" of the introduction of autonomous ships (line 539), no specific strategies for anticipating and preparing for these changes are presented. For example, the implications of the widespread introduction of autonomous ships should be analysed in detail, including what new demands they will place on maritime traffic management systems and what technological or policy measures might be needed to respond to them.

 

※ Conclusion section

- Limitations and specific suggestions for improvement: While the authors mention that they "only used data from the Web of Science" as a limitation of their study (lines 543-544) is a good starting point, future research could include, for example, real-time data collection to analyse the actual operation of autonomous ships, or additional relevant literature and qualitative interviews from different countries and disciplines. This would broaden the scope of the study and allow the impact of autonomous ships to be assessed from a wider range of perspectives.

- Practical applications of the research: Authors should build on the findings of the research and provide examples of "how autonomous vessel technology can make concrete contributions to maritime safety, environmental protection, increased operational efficiency, etc.", with the potential for practical applications. For example, authors should describe specific technical methods or examples of how autonomous vessels could reduce maritime accidents, contribute to marine environmental protection, etc.

 

Author Response

Thank you for taking the time to review our manuscript. Please find below a detailed response and highlighted corrections/additions and changes made in the resubmitted file.

We have addressed all 12 points raised by the reviewer, starting with simply improving the quality of the figures, writing more about the relevance of autonomous ships and electronics to the purpose of our study, and writing more about the implications of our findings. Finally, we addressed the comments about the quality of the English language by engaging MDPI's official language editing service, which reviewed and revised the manuscript to meet the high standards of academic writing, improving clarity and readability.

Author Response File: Author Response.pdf

Reviewer 2 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

1. Comment 1 - Introduction & Theoretical Background: The flow of sentences (especially starting with sub-section 1.2) could be improved to avoid redundancy in phrases such as "X et al. (XXXX) stated"/"X et al. (XXXX) argued"/"X et al. (XXXX) conducted". Additionally, some aspects are presented in a scholarly manner, notably in sub-section 1.3.1 regarding the Definition of Maritime Autonomous Surface Ships. Table 1 - Glossary of Maritime Autonomous Surface Ships terminology, could also be streamlined for clarity and conciseness.

2. Comment 2 - Conclusions: The practical implications of the study need to be highlighted in a more comprehensive way to provide a clear understanding of how the research findings can be applied in real-world scenarios.

3. Final Comment - Minor issues: Ensure consistency in the use of font throughout the text, especially when referencing within the text and introducing tables and figures. Additionally, improve the quality of some figures, such as Figure 5, to enhance clarity and readability for readers.

Comments on the Quality of English Language

Minor editing of English language required.

Author Response

Thank you for taking the time to review our manuscript. Please find below a detailed response to our resubmission and the corrections/additions and changes we have made.

We have addressed all three points raised by the reviewer, starting with simply improving the quality of the figures, followed by grammatical corrections, providing more detail on the relevance of autonomous ships and electronics to the research objectives, and providing more detail on the implications of our findings. Finally, on the point about the quality of the English language, we used MDPI's official language editing service to review and revise the manuscript to meet the high standards of academic writing and to improve clarity and readability.

Author Response File: Author Response.pdf

Round 2

Reviewer 1 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

This study examines the emerging field of Maritime Autonomous Surface Ships (MASS), with a particular focus on advances in on-board electronics and their impact on autonomous navigation. This study uses bibliographic analysis of 3,363 MASS-related articles from the Web of Science database, employing co-occurrence word analysis and Latent Dirichlet Allocation (LDA) topic modelling to identify key research trends and policy implications. Finally, I one more argue that this study provides a comprehensive insight into the trends shaping the MASS landscape and provides valuable guidance for future research and policy development to ensure the successful integration of electric propulsion and electronics in the maritime industry.