A graphical display of AIS data onboard a ship

Automatic identification systems (AIS) are

designed to be capable of providing information
about the ship to other ships and to coastal
authorities automatically.
Regulations for carriage of AIS

Regulation 19 of SOLAS Chapter V - Carriage requirements ; –

sets out navigational equipment to be carried on board ships, according to ship

type.
In 2000, IMO adopted a new requirement for all ships to carry automatic
identification systems (AISs) capable of providing information about the ship to
other ships and to coastal authorities automatically.
AIS shall be operated taking into account the guidelines adopted by the
Organization.

Ships fitted with AIS shall maintain AIS in operation at all times except where
international agreements, rules or standards provide for the protection of
navigational information.
Performance Standards

The regulation requires that AIS shall:

• provide information - including the ship's identity, type, position,

course, speed, navigational status and other safety-related information -
automatically ,to appropriately equipped shore stations, other ships and
aircraft;
• receive automatically such information from similarly fitted ships;
•· monitor and track ships;
• exchange data with shore-based facilities.
- the requirements of above paragraph , shall not be applied to cases where
international agreements, rules or standards provide for the protection of
navigational information
The Automatic Identification System (AIS) is an
automated tracking system used on ships and by
Vessel Traffic Services (VTS) for identifying and
locating Vessels by electronically exchanging
data with other nearby ships and VTS stations.

• AIS information supplements marine radar and ARPA , which

continues to be the primary method of collision avoidance.

• Information provided by AIS equipment, such as unique identification,

position, course, and speed, can be displayed on it’s own screen or

on other bridge equipments like Radar, ECDIS etc.

The IMO’s Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS)
regulations require AIS to be fitted aboard
international voyaging ships with :

• gross tonnage (GT) of 300 or more tons, and

• all passenger ships regardless of size

 AIS

The Automatic Identification System (AIS) is

designed for improving safety and
efficiency of navigation in the open sea and
coastal waters through the automatic
exchange of navigational, statistic and
voyage information between the ships and
coastal stations.

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 Functions of AIS
AIS

Functional MSG Safety MSG

Static DATA Voyage Related

DATA

Dynamic DATA
 How AIS Works ?
• A Broadcast system that acts like a
transponder, operating in the VHF maritime
band, that is capable of handling well over
4,500 reports per minute and updates as
often as every two seconds.
• It uses Self-Organizing Time Division
Multiple Access (SOTDMA) technology to
meet this high broadcast rate and ensure
reliable ship-to-ship cooperation.

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 Components of AIS
AIS consists of :
• VHF Transceiver
• Display and Sensor System
• GPS/DGPS
• Interface with VTS

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 AIS – uses and applications :
Collision avoidance

• Apart from vessel tracking, AIS is used in navigation

for collision avoidance as well.

• Due to the limitations of VHF radio communications,

and because not all vessels are equipped with AIS,
the system is meant to be used primarily as a means
of lookout and to determine risk of collision rather
than as an automated collision avoidance system, in
accordance with the International Regulations for
Preventing Collisions at Sea (COLREGS).
Vessel traffic services

• In busy waters and harbors, a local Vessel

Traffic Service (VTS) may exist to manage ship
traffic.

• Here, AIS provides additional traffic awareness

and provides the service with information on
the kind of other ships and their movement.
Aids to navigation

• AIS was developed with the ability to broadcast positions

and names of objects other than vessels, like navigational
aid and marker positions.

• These aids can be located on shore, such as in a

lighthouse, or on the water, on platforms or buoys.

• The US Coast Guard suggests that AIS might replace

RACON, or radar beacons, currently used for electronic
navigation aids.
A to N
• Synthetic AIS
- It describes the the posn of a physical marker
but the signal originates from a transmitter located
elsewhere. E.g shore stn broadcasting posn of 10
floating channel markers not big to accommodate
transmitting equipment
• Virtual AIS
- Txns from a marker which does not exist physically,
such as a submerged rocks/ shipwreck. Info will be
visible only to AIS equipped ships
Search and Rescue

• For coordinating resources on scene of marine

search & rescue operation, it is important to
know the position and navigation status of ships
in the vicinity of the ship or person in distress.

• Here AIS can provide additional information and

awareness of the resources for on scene
operation, even though AIS range is limited to
VHF radio range
Accident Investigation
• AIS information received by VTS is important for accident
investigation to provide the accurate time, identity, position
by GPS, compass heading, course over ground (COG), Speed
(by log/SOG) and rate of turn (ROT) of the ships involved.

• This helps in accident analysis, rather than from limited

information (position, COG, SOG) of radar echo by radar.

• The maneuvering information of the events of the accident

is important to understand the actual movement of the ship
before accident, particularly for collision, grounding
accidents.
Binary messages

• The Saint Lawrence Seaway uses AIS binary

messages (message type 8) to provide
information about water levels, lock orders, and
weather.

• The Panama Canal uses AIS type 8 messages to

provide information about rain along the canal
and wind in the locks.
Computing & Networking

• Several computer programs have been created for use

with AIS data. Some programs (such as ShipPlotter and
gnuais) use a computer to demodulate the raw audio from
a modified marine VHF radio telephone when tuned to
the AIS broadcast frequency (Channel 87 & 88) into AIS
data.

• Some programs can re-transmit the AIS information to a

local or global network allowing the public or authorized
users to observe vessel traffic from the Web.
AIS data on the Internet
• AIS position data are available on the Internet through many privately
operated geographic information systems.

• However, In December 2004, the IMO, Maritime Safety Committee

condemned the Internet publication of AIS data as follows:

“In relation to the issue of freely available AIS-generated ship data on the
world-wide web, or elsewhere of AIS data transmitted by ships could be
detrimental to the safety and security of ships and port facilities and was
undermining the efforts of the Organization and its Member States to
enhance the safety of navigation and security in the international
maritime transport sector”.
What are the VHF Channels used ?
AIS uses two frequencies in the Marine VHF band:

Channel 87 : 161.975 MHz and

Channel 88 : 162.025 MHz.

All ships use both frequencies and successive message

transmissions are radiated on alternate channels.

Professional AIS equipment monitors both channels

simultaneously.

This doubles the channel capacity and also combats

interference.
Since all vessels transmit on same frequencies
simultaneously , how is it possible to operate
without interference ?

The answer : TDMA technology.

“Time Division Multiple Access”

 What is TDMA ?
On a given Frequency :

Each minute of time is divided into 2250 slots of 26.67 milliseconds

each.

At 9.6 Kbps speed, each of these slots can handle 256 bits of data
which is sufficient for one AIS report.

An exact timing signal of GPS is essential to synchronize time slots

When a ship’s AIS talks ( Digitally ) to another ship, first , it listens for
and takes up an un-occupied slot and it also reserves a time slot for
its next contact. This is Self Organized TDMA or SOTDMA.
• The key elements of SOTDMA operation are as follows:
• All stations share a common time reference (derived from GPS
time) ensuring they can all accurately determine the start time of
each TDMA slot.
• Each data transmission includes indication of the TDMA slot that
will be used by the transmitting station for subsequent
transmissions. This allows receiving stations to build up a ‘map’ of
which slots are in use by which station.
• Each station avoids slots known to be in use by other stations for its
own transmissions. This prevents two stations in range of one
another using the same slot.
• As mobile stations move from one area to another they encounter
new stations with different slot allocations. This may cause the
station to modify its own slot allocation leading to a dynamic and
self organising system over time and space.
 Each time slot
represents
26.6
millisecons

The same
Ship A sends a
message in this procedure is
slot. It also repeated by
reserves one all other ships
slot for the next
message

Ship B
Ship C
Ship A

Example : A ship sailing at 23 kts updates its info every 2 seconds ( 30 times per minute )
and therefore reserves a second time slot which falls after 75 slots from its first slot
( 2250 / 30 = 75 ) and so on and so forth.
• In the event of system overload, targets further away
will be subject to an automatic drop-out, in order to
give preference to nearer targets, which are of greater
concern to ship operators.

• However, in practice, the capacity of the system is

nearly unlimited, allowing for a great number of ships
to be accommodated at the same time.
 4 types of TDMA transmission standards :
• SOTDMA ( Self Organized TDMA ) for Class A AIS

• CSTDMA ( Career Sense TDMA ) for Class B AIS :

sends fixed length telegrams using time slots not used by Class A as and when it is
available. This unit listens at the start of a slot to see if a transmission is starting [e.g.
from a nearby ship]. If it determines that the slot is not being used, it quickly powers
up its transmitter and sends a 1-slot message and then powers down. If no slot is
available it simply misses that go and tries after a pre-set time.

• FATDMA ( Fixed Access TDMA ) for base stations

Transmission takes place in a pair of slots which are reserved by an AIS base station.
Ships receive a message from the base station, indicating that certain slots are
reserved. The ship AIS transponders store this reserved slot information in their slot
maps, and do not transmit in these slots.

• RATDMA ( Random Access TDMA ) for Aids to Navigation.

This AIS uses its receiver to listen to both AIS frequencies for about one minute, and
makes and stores a map of all the free "slots“ . It then looks for two free adjacent slots
in which to send its [2-slot long] A to N message 21 or meteorological and hydrological
message 8.
Type Classification of AIS equipments in use :

• Class A ( for SOLAS Vessels over 300 Grt

and all passenger vessels )

• Class B ( for non – SOLAS Vessels )

• Class C ( receive only AIS for non-SOLAS vessels )

• Base Station

• Aids to Navigation ( A to N )
Class A : Vessel mounted AIS transceiver which
operates using SOTDMA transmissions.

Each AIS transponder consists of one VHF transmitter, two VHF TDMA
receivers, one VHF Digital Selective Calling (DSC) receiver, and links to
shipboard display and sensor systems via standard marine electronic
communications (such as NMEA 0183, also known as IEC 61162).

Characteristics :
- Transmits at 12W
- Range : 20 to 50 n.miles.
- Has an integrated display.
- interface capability with multiple ship systems
- a sophisticated selection of features
- Default transmit rate is every few seconds.
- Capability to receive all types of AIS messages.
Class A Broadcast information
An AIS transceiver sends the following data every 2 to 10 seconds depending on a
vessel's speed while underway, and every 3 minutes while a vessel is at anchor:

• The vessel's Maritime Mobile Service Identity (MMSI) – a unique nine digit
identification number.

• Navigation status – "at anchor", "under way using engine(s)", "not under
command", etc.

• Rate of turn – right or left, 0 to 720 degrees per minute

• "Speed over ground" – 0.1-knot resolution : from 0 to 102 knots (189 km/h)

• Position accuracy:
– Longitude – to 1/10000 minute
– Latitude – to 1/10000 minute
• "Course over ground" – relative to true north to 0.1 degree precision.

• True Heading – 0 to 359 degrees, for example from a gyro compass

• Time stamp – UTC time accurate to the nearest second when these data were
generated
In addition, the following data are broadcast every 6 minutes:
• IMO ship identification number – a seven digit number that remains unchanged upon
transfer of the ship's registration to another country

• Radio call sign – international radio call sign, up to seven characters, assigned to the vessel
by its country of registry

• Name – 20 characters to represent the name of the vessel

• Type of ship/cargo

• Dimensions of ship – to nearest meter

• Location of positioning system's (e.g. GPS) antenna onboard the vessel - in meters aft of
bow and meters port of starboard

• Type of positioning system – such as GPS, DGPS or LORAN-C.

• Draught of ship – 0.1 meter to 25.5 meters

• Destination – max 20 characters

• ETA (estimated time of arrival) at destination – UTC month/date hour:minute

Class B – Vessel mounted AIS transceiver
which operates using CSTDMA.
Class B transponders are designed for carriage by non-SOLAS vessels. Each consists of
one VHF transmitter, two VHF receivers, one of which is multiplexed with the
VHF Digital Selective Calling (DSC) receiver, and a GPS active antenna.

Characteristics :

- transmits at 2W
- Range : 5 to 10 miles.
- are not required to have an integrated display,
- can be connected to most display systems on which the
received messages will be displayed in lists or overlayed on
charts.
- Default transmit rate is normally every 30 seconds, but this
can be varied according to vessel speed or instructions
from base stations.
Class B Broadcast information

Message 18: Standard Class B CS Position Report

• This message is sent every 3 minutes where Speed over Ground (SOG) is less
than 2 knots, or every 30 seconds for greater speeds.
• MMSI, Time, SOG, COG, Longitude, Latitude, True Heading.

Message 19: Extended Class B Equipment Position Report

• This message was designed for the SOTDMA protocol, and is too long to be
transmitted as CSTDMA. However a coast station can poll the transponder for
this message to be sent.
• MMSI, Time, SOG, COG, Longitude, Latitude, True Heading, Ship type,
Dimensions.

Message 24: Class B CS Static Data Report

• This message is sent every 6 minutes, the same time interval as for Class A
transponders. Because of its length, this message is divided into two parts,
sent within a minute of each other.
• MMSI, Boat Name, Ship Type, Call Sign, Dimensions, and Equipment vendor ID
• Base Station – Shore based AIS transceiver which operates using
SOTDMA / FATDMA. Base stations have a complex set of features and
functions which in the AIS standard are able to control the AIS system
and all devices operating therein. Ability to interrogate individual
transponders for status reports and or transmit frequency changes.

• Aids to Navigation (A to N) – Shore or buoy based transceiver which

operates using RATDMA or FATDMA. Designed to collect and
transmit data related to sea and weather conditions as well as relay
AIS messages to extend network coverage.
In normal case, your ARPA derives a target’s COG and SOG
from own ship GPS data and the range and bearing to
that target when it is visible on the radar screen.

However, with an AIS, a target sends you its GPS position,

COG and SOG even if it is hiding behind a cape or an
island !!!
AIS has turned a VHF radio into a regular albeit
somewhat slow modem. It sends and receives
data just like any other modem.

This data when received by an AIS transponder

and transferred to a radar takes it another
step closer to becoming an ideal aid to
navigation.
There are five major areas where AIS improves radar:
• It helps radar find targets ‘around’ a cape (useful in rocky coastal waters)

• It translates radar echoes into ship names (useful when hailing them on
VHF)

• It improves prediction of a target’s path by taking into account its rate of

turn (ROT) as broadcast by AIS.

• It extends radar’s range

• It clarifies a target’s intentions

How AIS improves prediction of a target’s path when the OOW of takes ROT into
account :

Knowing a target’s ROT improves the OOW’s ability to anticipate a traffic situation more
accurately:

Prediction without ROT :

In the crossing situation shown above,

The blue line represents the straight-line predicted path of the own ship making 12
knots on a true course of 110° and ..

A target ship (red line) making 15 knots on a true course of 240°.

Target initially is on a true bearing of 70° with a range of 2 NM (green line).

With straight-line projection, the CPA of 0.4 NM will be reached in 4.8 minutes
( light blue line ).
Prediction with ROT :

Blue arc represents the predicted path of the own ship making 12 knots on
a true course of 110° and a ROT of +5° per minute (starboard).

Again the target is initially on a bearing of 70° at a range of 2 NM (green

line) making 15 Knots on a true course of 240° with a ROT of –10° per
minute (portside).

The red arc shows the its predicted path.

The CPA is now only 380 feet after 7.9 minutes (light blue line).
How AIS extends radar’s range

• This is useful when approaching features like a bridge, a point or a

narrows.

• The extended range and target identification that AIS provides, allows
the OOW to identify other ships with a similar ETA to the same
feature, even if they are approaching it from the opposite side and are
still some 40 NM away.

• This allows the OOW to anticipate a traffic situation earlier and make
passing arrangements well over an hour in advance via VHF, or, if the
other ship is still beyond VHF range, via an AIS instant message.
AIS clarifies a target’s intentions

The OOW, for whatever reason, scrutinizes a target, AIS will

provide not only its destination but also its intended route.

This route can be temporarily displayed to anticipate a target’s

intentions.

If a target is has limited maneuvering capabilities, for instance

due to its draft, AIS will provide such details too.
 However, connecting an AIS to Radar can
complicate matters as follows :

• An AIS target’s GPS information, for various

reasons, may not be accurate

• A target’s AIS position may be different from the

position of its echo on the radar screen
Accuracy of AIS positions

• The OOW will know when an AIS target is no longer sending

position updates because its icon will be crossed-off with a
flashing line.

• If a target continues to send out AIS position updates but its

GPS is not working properly then the OOW can only find that
out by comparing AIS and radar positions (assuming it is clear
which radar and AIS icons are associated with each other).
Target Icon Consolidation

If a nearby ship shows both an AIS and a radar icon on your

screen and the two do not overlap then the software in the
radar (or ECDIS) will try to decide whether the two separate
icons should be replaced with a single consolidated icon and
where to place that icon on the screen.

The software bases this decision on a comparison of each icon’s

range, bearing, relative course and relative speed. If they pass
this test then the target’s radar icon is dropped from the
screen.
 Limitations
• Shipboard AIS transponders have a horizontal range that is highly
variable, but typically only up to about 74 kilometres (46 nm).
• AIS position data are available on the Internet through privately
operated geographic information systems.
• Vessels can turn off AIS to attempt to be invisible but, since they can still
be seen by radar, the absence of an AIS signal would highlight them as
unusual and worthy of investigation where security or piracy are
priorities.
• Some computer programs used with VHF sets can re-transmit the AIS
information to a local or global network, allowing the public or
authorized users to observe vessel traffic from the web.
• not all vessels are equipped with AIS, the system to be used primarily as
a means of lookout and to determine the risk of collision rather than as
an automatic collision avoidance system, (Colregs).
• AIS is also sensitive to radio frequency interference, so subject to the
limitations of VHF propagation.
• AIS relies on GNSS data for position and timing inputs, ; as such, it is
subject to the vulnerabilities inherent in satellite navigation systems.
 Pseudo AIS
Usage of AIS capability in VTS to perform some VTS functions that
are currently done manually, primarily via voice communications
by VTS operators.
e.g; use of AIS to automatically repeat or rebroadcast the
positions of vessels the VTS is tracking via AIS or other means.
This would allow vessels to "see" other vessels of interest that are
located too far away to be detected by their navigation sensors.
• This could be accomplished by having the VTS AIS automatically
repeat all AIS targets it receives and rebroadcast as "pseudo AIS"
targets those the VTS is tracking via other sensors.
• A more sophisticated arrangement would allow the VTS operator
to designate specific VTS targets to be rebroadcast or directly
transmitted to certain vessels, potentially augmenting or
replacing the "VTS traffic advisory" function
• This may make a VTS be called as “Silent VTS”
How is the data collected?
• Our base stations are equipped with an AIS receiver, a PC and an Internet
connection. The AIS unit receives data, which are processed by simple
software on the PC and then sent to a central database by means of a
‘web service’. This software is free for anyone interested, under a license.
Data received by the AIS unit are encoded in NMEA sentences (64-bit plain
text). A sample is shown below:
!AIVDM,1,1,,B,1INS<8@P001cnWFEdSmh00bT0000,0*38
Messages include the following three basic types:

Dynamic Information, such as vessel’s position, speed, current status,

course and rate of turn.
Static Information, such as vessel’ name, IMO number, MMSI number,
dimensions.
Voyage-specific Information, such as destination, ETA and draught.
How often is the data updated?
• Data received are uploaded in the database in real time and therefore they are immediately
available on the map and on other pages. However, several positions shown on map may be not
continuously refreshed (e.g. when a ship goes out of range). Vessel positions shown on map may be
up to 1 hour old. Please note also that map web page is only periodically refreshed or whenever
the ‘Refresh now’ link is pressed manually.

Why cannot I see my vessel?

• The MarineTraffic system does not cover all the seas of the world, but only specific coastal areas
where a land-based AIS receiver is installed. Vessels appearing on the live map are equipped with
an operational AIS transponder and they sail within the reception range of an AIS receiver installed
on the land. Possible reasons for a vessel's position not picked up and displayed on the live map
are:
- The vessel is not equipped with an AIS transponder or the transponder is not operational or the
transponder is not properly working
- The vessel sails in an area where no nearby AIS receiving station exists
- The transmission power of the vessel's AIS transponder is not enough in order for a land-based
station to receive the signals. This depends on the type of the transponder, the type and the height
of the antenna and the quality of the cabling
- Especially for vessels equipped with a Class-B AIS transponder, the transmission power of AIS
signals is much lower than the power of a Class-A transponder and therefore the reception range in
much more restricted
- The AIS transponder of the vessel is not configured to transmit the correct information (e.g. MMSI
number, ship's name etc.)
 AIS Device
• The Automatic Identification System identifies and locates vessels at
distance
– It includes an antenna, a transponder, a GPS
receiver and additional sensors (e.g., loch and
gyrocompass)
– It is a broadcast system based on VHF
communications
– It is able to operate in autonomous and
continuous mode
• Ships fitted with AIS send navigation data to surrounding receivers
(range is about 50 km)
• Ships or maritime control centres on shore fitted with AIS receives
navigation data sent by surrounding ships

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 AIS Transmission Rate and Accuracy
• AIS accuracy is defined as the largest distance the ship can
cover between two updates
– The AIS broadcasts information with different rates of
updates depending on the ship’s current speed and
manoeuvre
– The IMO assumes that accuracy of embedded GPS is 10m
Time between
Vessel behaviour Accuracy (m)
updates
Anchored 3 min = 10 metres

Speed between 0-14 knots 12 s Between 10 and 95 metres

Speed between 0-14 knots

4s Between 10 and 40 metres
and changing course

Speed between 14-23 knots 6s Between 55 and 80 metres

Speed between 14-23 knots

2s Between 25 and 35 metres
and changing course

Speed over 23 knots 3s > 45 metres

Speed over 23 knots and

2s > 35 metres
changing course

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 AIS Data
• Transmitted data include ship’s position and textual meta-
information
– Static: ID number (MMSI), IMO code, ship name and type,
dimensions
– Dynamic: Position (Long, Lat), speed, heading, course over ground
(COG), rate of turn (ROT)
– Route-based: Destination, danger, estimated time of arrival (ETA)
and draught

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