  Automation of berthing maneuvers in shipping is a pressing issue as the
berthing maneuver is one of the most stressful tasks seafarers undertake.
Berthing control problems are often tackled via tracking a predefined
trajectory or path. Maintaining a tracking error of zero under an uncertain
environment is impossible; the tracking controller is nonetheless required to
bring vessels close to desired berths. The tracking controller must prioritize
the avoidance of tracking errors that may cause collisions with obstacles. This
paper proposes a training method based on reinforcement learning for a
trajectory tracking controller that reduces the probability of collisions with
static obstacles. Via numerical simulations, we show that the proposed method
reduces the probability of collisions during berthing maneuvers. Furthermore,
this paper shows the tracking performance in a model experiment.
