Objective Aiming at the problem of the autonomous berthing control of tugboats, this study focuses on the application of a target tracking control strategy based on virtual leadership.

Methods First, the autonomous berthing process of the tugboat is transformed into the target tracking control process of the virtual tugboat and actual tugboat. A kinematics model of the berthing system is then designed. Considering special environmental interference in the berthing scenario, the backstepping method and sliding mode control method are used to design an autonomous berthing controller for an azimuth stern drive tugboat. Three different sliding mode surfaces are provided and the stability is verified by the Lyapunov function. Finally, a simulation test is used to verify the control effect through the berthing trajectory, speed error and distance error.

Results The simulation results show that the designed tugboat autonomous berthing control strategy and controller have a good effect in the tugboat autonomous berthing scenario and good performance in the face of uncertain disturbances of the system.

Conclusions The control strategy and berthing controller designed in this paper have good applicability and robustness. The autonomous berthing control of tugboats is realized from a new angle, providing a new direction for subsequent research on the berthing control of tugboats.