Abstract
Near-shore communication plays a crucial role in maritime operations, serving as a last-mile link between ships and shore-based infrastructures. However, this environment poses several challenges. High vessel density, coastal obstructions, large ships, and mountainous terrain often block the communication paths. These factors significantly degrade the signal quality and reliability. In addition, sea-surface reflections, vessel motion, and Doppler effects create a complex propagation environment. This leads to composite fading channels that further complicate reliable communication. If left unaddressed, these challenges can compromise the safety and efficiency of maritime operations. To address these issues, we propose the use of Intelligent Reflecting Surfaces (IRS) to enhance last-mile maritime communication. The IRS can dynamically manipulate electromagnetic waves to optimize signal propagation. By intelligently tuning the phase shifts of the IRS elements, the system can strengthen signals, extend coverage, and reduce the effects of composite fading and Doppler shifts. Our results show that the proposed IRS-aided system outperforms conventional relay-based systems by up to 6 bps/Hz. Implementing IRS in near-shore communication networks thus promises more resilient, efficient, and reliable maritime communication.