The AIS live ship tracking system explained

The AIS live ship tracking system explained

The AIS live ship tracking system is a piece of technology familiar to anyone involved in the shipping or harbour industry, but one that will likely be completely alien to the average layman. Essentially, it is an Automatic Identification System (AIS) which allows ships at sea and Vessel Traffic Services (VTS) to locate and identify the most unpredictable hazard on the water - maritime traffic.

AIS information is far from the only system in place to help ships navigate shipping lanes and coastal waters. Rather, the information relayed by the equipment is intended to supplement marine radar in avoiding collisions - providing data such as position, course and speed, and allowing crew to plot courses which will leave the least risk of hazard. In addition, the technology helps maritime authorities track and monitor vessel movements via unique ID numbers contained with AIS transmissions. This is useful for both managing traffic in busy maritime areas - and for tracking specific vessels in police and rescue operations.

This equipment is extremely common in the maritime world. As per the International Maritime Organisation's 'International Convention for the safety of Life at Sea', all sizes of passenger ships and all international voyaging ships with a gross tonnage of 300 or more tons are required to be fitted with an AIS system of some kind. To date it is estimated that there are over 40,000 ships currently possessing AIS class A standard equipment and thousands more are believed to have added the new, lower cost Class B standard since its introduction in 2007.

Essentially, an AIS system integrates a standardised VHF transceiver with the ship's electronic navigation sensors (e.g. a gyrocompass or rate of turn indicator) as well as with a external positioning system such as a GPS receiver. Data packages from these sensors are transmitted along with built-in details such as VHF call signs and vessel ID numbers at regular intervals.

These signals are then received by AIS transponders or by VTS systems on land or off-shore platforms. Typically these transponders are integrated into display systems on the ships carrying them, allowing crews to see other vessel's position and headings on a chart plotter or video screen.

In addition to the existing use as a crew aid for collision avoidance, AIS systems have the potential to be used as more extensive navigational aids. The US coast guard has suggested that AIS might replace radar beacons as electronic navigational aids fitted to installations such as lighthouses, platforms or buoys.

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