This paper proposes a detection method of moving ships through a navigational image sequence taken by multi-sensor. The marine accidents mostly occurred within 3 nautical miles from the coastal line or in the port. Most of them were collision or stranding. Meanwhile 75% of the marine accidents were caused by human error, due to insufficient lookout. To deal with this problem, we suggest the application of image-processing techniques to automate the lookout system. This system used the infrared camera together with the video camera, since the application of the video camera causing insufficient exposure during the night, or the detection of ships was difficult under rain condition. The multi-sensor camera system composed of the video camera with CCD (Charge Coupled Device) sensor and the infrared camera with SOI (Silicon On Insulator) diode sensor. We verified the advantage from the experiment at Tokyo Bay.
