Hamidi secures $833K TxDOT award to advance AI waterway monitoring

Lamar University’s Dr. Maryam Hamidi has received an $833,000 research award from the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) to lead the next phase of an artificial intelligence-driven system designed to improve vessel monitoring and freight analysis along the Texas portion of the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway.

Hamidi, the project’s principal investigator, will lead the effort alongside co-principal investigator Dr. Jing Zhang. The research team is also supported by Department of Industrial Engineering student Homayoon Arbabkhah, whose work has helped make the project feasible.

Together, the team will oversee development of a system that integrates live video feeds, trade data and marine Automatic Identification System, or AIS, data using advanced computer vision and machine learning techniques. The project builds on an earlier phase in which the Lamar research team developed a user-interface software platform for the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) to quantify and visualize vessel traffic patterns along the waterway using AIS data.

While AIS broadcasts provide vessel location and identification information, they can contain inaccuracies due to manual data entry. For example, a vessel may report a length of 200 feet, even though the combined length of the vessel and its barge tow exceeds 1,600 feet. Such discrepancies can limit the reliability of traffic assessments and freight analysis.

The new phase seeks to close those gaps by combining real-time video analysis with AIS and trade data to enhance accuracy and deliver more comprehensive insights for maritime stakeholders, including TxDOT and U.S. Coast Guard vessel traffic service units.

Currently, waterway surveillance relies heavily on personnel manually monitoring multiple camera feeds — a process vulnerable to fatigue and human error. The AI-enabled system under development will automatically detect vessels and barges, classify them by size and type, and track their direction of travel, strengthening operational efficiency and decision-making capabilities.

“We sincerely appreciate the Texas Department of Transportation maritime section for its support and strong collaboration on this project,” Hamidi said. “TxDOT’s technical expertise, guidance and partnership have been instrumental in advancing the research and ensuring its practical relevance and impact.”

The award reflects Lamar University’s continued investment in applied engineering research focused on infrastructure innovation, freight mobility and maritime safety along the Gulf Coast.

To learn more about the university’s port and maritime research initiatives, visit https://www.lamar.edu/engineering/research/center-for-advances-in-port-management/about/index.html.