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AIS (Automatic Identification System) - in shipping, a system used to identify ships, their dimensions, heading and other data using VHF/VHF radio waves.

Recently, there has been a tendency to interpret AIS as an Automatic Information System (English: AIS Automatic Information System), which is associated with the expansion of the functionality of the system compared to the ordinary task of identifying vessels.

In accordance with the SOLAS 74/88 Convention, it is mandatory for ships with a displacement of more than 300 register tons on international voyages, ships with a displacement of more than 500 register tons not engaged in international voyages and all passenger ships. Vessels and yachts with a smaller displacement can be equipped with a class B device. Data transmission is carried out on international communication channels AIS 1 and AIS 2 in the SOTDMA protocol (Self Organizing Time Division Multiple Accsess). Frequency modulation with GMSK keying is used.
Purpose

AIS is designed to increase the level of navigation safety, efficiency of navigation and operation of the vessel traffic control center (VTCS), environmental protection, ensuring the following functions:

As a means of preventing collisions in ship-to-ship mode;
as a means of obtaining information about the vessel and cargo by competent coastal services;
as a VTS tool in ship-to-shore mode for controlling vessel traffic;
as a means of monitoring and tracking ships, as well as in search and rescue (SAR) operations.

AIS components

The AIS system includes the following components:

VHF transmitter,
one - two VHF receivers,
global satellite navigation receiver (for example, GPS, GLONASS), for Russia the GLONASS module in the AIS device is strictly mandatory, the main source of coordinates. GPS is auxiliary and can be taken from the GPS receiver via the NMEA bus;
modulator/demodulator (converter of analogue data to digital and vice versa),
microprocessor based controller
equipment for input/output of information to control elements

Operating principle of AIS
System Overview from US Coast Guard

The operation of AIS is based on the reception and transmission of messages via VHF waves. The AIS transmitter operates at longer wavelengths than radars, which allows the exchange of information not only over direct distances, but also in areas with obstacles in the form of small objects, as well as in bad weather conditions. Although one radio channel is sufficient, some AIS systems transmit and receive on two radio channels in order to avoid interference problems and not disrupt the communication of other objects. AIS messages may contain:

Identification information about the object,
information about the state of the object, received automatically from the object’s control elements (including from some electro-radio navigation devices),
information about geographic and time coordinates that AIS receives from the global navigation satellite system,
information entered manually by facility maintenance personnel (security-related).

The transfer of additional text information between AIS terminals (paging) is provided. Transmission of such information is possible both to all terminals within the range, and to one specific terminal.

In order to ensure the unification and standardization of AIS, the International Radio Regulations stipulate two channels for use for AIS purposes: AIS-1 (87V - 161.975 MHz) and AIS-2 (88V - 162.025 MHz), which should be used everywhere, with the exception of regions with special frequency regulation.

The digital information transmission rate in the AIS channel is selected at 9600 bps.

The operation of each AIS station (mobile or base) is strictly synchronized to UTC time with an error of no more than 10 μs from the built-in GNSS receiver (in the Russian Federation, according to signals from the combined GLONASS/GPS GNSS receiver). To transmit information, continuously repeating frames lasting 1 minute are used, which are divided into 2250 slots (time intervals) each lasting 26.67 ms.

Text uses 6-bit ASCII codes.

Displaying information about the environment in modern AIS is possible in 2 modes - both textual in the form of a table with a list of nearby vessels and their data, and in the form of a simplified schematic map depicting the relative positions of vessels and distances to them (calculated automatically based on the data transmitted by them geographic coordinates.) AIS is included in the list of equipment that is required to be provided with uninterruptible battery power.
Message structure
Static information

MMSI number
International Maritime Organization (IMO) number
Radio call sign and name of the craft
Dimensions
Type of craft
Antenna location data (from GNSS Glonass or GPS)

Data is transmitted every 6 minutes
Dynamic information

Location (latitude and longitude)
Time (UTC)
Age of information (how long ago it was updated)
True heading (relative to the ground), heading angle
True speed
Roll angle, trim
Pitch angle
Angular rate of turn
Navigation status (for example: Unable to steer or Limited ability to maneuver)

And other information from repeaters and sensors of electro-radio navigation devices and systems
Other information

Destination
Arrival time (ETA)
Vessel draft
Cargo information (cargo class\category)
Number of people on board
Messages for warning and safety of cargo transportation

The throughput of each channel is up to 2000 messages per minute.

Source wikipedia

MarineTraffic

This open, community project is designed to collect and present data that can be used in research such as:
- Study of maritime telecommunications regarding efficiency and propagation parameters
- Simulation of ship traffic to assist in the field of maritime safety and resolution of critical situations
- Interactive design information systems
- Design of databases that provide information in real time
- Statistical processing of port traffic using applications in operational research
- Development of applications for identifying sources of pollution
- Development of efficient algorithms for sea route and estimation to determine the estimated time of arrival of the vessel
- Correlation of the received information with meteorological data
- Cooperation with Institutes involved in environmental protection.
This project provides free, real-time information to the public about ship movements primarily along the coastlines of many countries around the world.
The project is currently being organized by the Department of Products and Systems Engineering, University of the Aegean, Greece.
Primary data collection is based on the Automatic Identification System (AIS).
There is a constant search for partners to work in the community.
They will have an AIS receiver installed and will be able to share their area data with others to cover as many destinations and ports around the world as possible.

The system is built on the basis of AIS (Automatic Identification System). Since December 2004, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) has required that every ship over 299 GT be equipped with an AIS transmitter, which transmits position, speed, course and various static information such as the ship's name, dimensions and flight details.

AIS was originally intended to help ships avoid collisions and also to assist port authorities to better manage maritime traffic.
The AIS transponder on board a vessel includes a GPS (Global Positioning System) receiver and a VHF transmitter that transmits data on the vessel's movement on two channels (frequencies 161.975 MHz and 162.025 MHz) and makes this data available to the public. Other vessels or base stations can receive this information and, using special software, display the vessel's location on a chartplotter or computer.

Typically, ships with an SAI receiver connected to an external antenna located 15 m above sea level will receive information in a range of 15-20 nautical miles. A base station located at a higher altitude can extend the reception range to 40-60 nautical miles, even over mountains, depending on terrain, antenna type, obstacles around the antenna and weather conditions. The most important factor is the height of the antenna. The higher the better. For example, an antenna located on a mountain at an altitude of 700 m can receive signals from ships at a distance of 200 nautical miles!
Base stations that reliably cover a range of 40 nautical miles can periodically receive signals from more distant ships.

The base station is equipped with a marine band antenna, an AIS receiver and a computer connected to the Internet.
The AIS device receives data, which is processed using simple software on a PC, and then this data is sent to a central database via a web service. The software is free to interested users under the GNU license.
The data received by the AIS receiver is encoded into a single NMEA sentence (64-bit plain text).
Example: !AIVDM,1,1,B,1INS<8@P001cnWFEdSmh00bT0000,0*38
Messages include three main types:
1. Dynamic information - vessel position, speed, current position, course and rate of turn.
2. Static information - vessel name, IMO number, MMSI, dimensions.
3. Special information - purpose, ETA and projects.

The central database receives and processes a large amount of data, and stores the most important parts of it. It also includes port and area geographic information, photographs of the vessel and other information. The current positions of the vessel and/or track are displayed on the map using the Google map API.

The received data is loaded into the database in real time and, therefore, it is immediately highlighted on the map. However, some positions shown on the chart may not be constantly updated (for example, when a ship moves out of range). Vessel positions shown on the chart may be up to 1 hour out of date.

The MarineTraffic system only covers certain coastal areas where land-based AIS receiving base stations are installed.
Possible reasons why ship positions are not displayed on the map are as follows:
- The vessel is not equipped with an AIS transponder, the transponder does not work or does not work correctly;
- The vessel is in an area where there is no base AIS receiving station nearby;
- The transponder power is not sufficient for normal reception of signals by the ground station. The power of class A transponders is much lower than the power of class B transponders.
It also depends on the type and height of the antenna and the type of cable.
- AIS transponder is not configured correctly.

Map icons may be slow to display. This may be due to too many vessels being displayed, web technology, javascript and web browsers.
The Internet Explorer browser (especially version 6 and older) is very ineffective in web applications of this kind.
The following browsers show significantly better performance and we suggest using one of them: Opera, Chrome, Firefox.

The system can receive the positions of vessels that have not yet transmitted static information (name, dimensions, etc.) This happens because static vessels transmit information less frequently. In this case, instead of the vessel's name, its MMSI will be displayed (for example, 239923000). There is also a small possibility of incorrect or corrupted data recording. This occurs due to the following reasons:
a) malfunction of the vessel’s AIS transponder
b) Global Positioning System (GPS) error and
c) failure of the ship's crew to correctly configure the information transmitted by the AIS transponder (this refers to static information, such as ship name, type and dimensions, as well as destination and estimated time of arrival).

The system is based solely on information received from ships transmitted by their AIS transponder.
Therefore, correct configuration of the AIS transponder by the crew is very important! In particular, the person who is responsible for operating the AIS transponder can greatly assist in the correct presentation of vessel information by taking care of the following:
a) Correct updating and verification of Static Information that is recorded in the AIS block. These include: vessel name, vessel type, vessel dimensions, IMO, MMSI number, AIS device relative position.
b) Properly updating Travel Information, i.e. destination, ETA and draft, before commencement of each voyage. If this information is correct, the vessel will appear in "Expected Arrival" for each port and an estimated arrival time will be provided for all parties involved. One port should be entered each time, and any additional information (such as country or multiple ports) should be avoided.

Moving ships are displayed as ship icons. Vessels that are not moving or moving at a speed of less than 0.5 knots, are anchored or moored are displayed as squares.
Ship icons and tracks are colored according to their type (cargo, tanker, passenger, etc.)

The MarineTraffic system can be expanded to cover any area around the world. You can independently install an antenna, an AIS receiver, connect it to a computer connected to the Internet and start sending data immediately. You will immediately see on the map the vessels that were received by your receiver. For those who wish to have their area covered on the map, an acknowledgment on the main site, links to a company or personal site, or any other links upon request are included.

If you have a private sailboat that is within MarineTraffic's coverage area, you can install an AIS transponder on board to record your position on a map in real time. Installing an AIS transponder on small boats is optional and you are permitted to use a CLASS “B” transponder. CLASS "B" is cheaper than CLASS "A". CLASS B transponders are intended for ships with a displacement of less than 300GT. Price from 700 to 2000 euros.
Additionally, you can use the iAIS app on your smartphone (iPhone/iPad or Android) on board to report your vessel's position directly to MarineTraffic, without having to operate an AIS transponder.
There are at least 5 different methods for submitting your own position in MarineTraffic.

AIS (AIS Automatic Identification System) is a system that allows you to identify and track online vessel movement with an accuracy of 10 meters. Besides AIS vessel locations provides information about their type, dimensions, destination, speed, expected time of arrival, and makes it possible to familiarize yourself with the history of routes and the expected course. The specified information is presented in a card, to open which you need to click on the object of interest. Online access to ships' AIS provided directly by ships using a radio frequency transmitter. Some ships or ports may not be viewable due to range limitations, interference, or weather conditions affecting radio communications. If " marine traffic” does not display the object you want, please try again later.

Real-time vessel traffic map covers the whole world and provides the user with the opportunity to see their arrangement in various ports and areas of the world. To find ships in other regions and ports, you need to zoom out on the map and select the desired sector.

The Answer-Logistic portal focuses on the current movement and positions of vessels according to AIS in the eastern part of the Gulf of Finland and the port of St. Petersburg. Note that ship deployment displayed with a slight delay. You can find out the time that has passed since the last coordinate update by hovering the cursor over an object.

Marine Traffic is a resource with which you can track the position of ships on an AIS (Automatic Identification System) map. This is done very simply: in the search window you need to enter the name of the vessel, and the service will show where it is currently located. In addition to the name and type of the ship, you can find out its course, the country to which it belongs, its speed and other useful data.

The service is convenient to use - vessels of different types are highlighted in different colors, the direction of their movement is shown, and those at anchor are separately indicated.

Video: MarineTraffic - the world's most popular online vessel tracking service

When you hover the cursor over the icon, information about the ship appears in a pop-up window: name, country of registration, destination. If you click on it, the system will show more detailed information, including photos.

How does Marinetraffic work?

AIS technology, an automatic identification system, is used to create a vessel map. Each ship has a transmitter that constantly transmits information over the air using radio waves. Mobile and satellite communications are not used here, so this technology is cheaper than analogues. Any receiver operating on VHF or VHF frequencies can pick up the signal.

Broadcast coverage depends on several factors. The most significant ones are the transmitter power and the height of the receiving antenna. But even the weakest repeater can broadcast within a range of 75 km. This is enough for ships to become aware of each other's presence from a safe distance.

Would you like to know where this or that sea vessel is currently located, which ships are located next to you, and which ones are moored in Buenos Aires, Sumatra or Singapore? The MarineTraffic.com network service gives you a unique opportunity to obtain a lot of useful information on the location and movement of the vessel you need on the map, its route, speed, cargo, weather in a given region, and so on. In this material I will talk about the real-time ship traffic map on the Marine Traffic website, and also explain in detail how to use the capabilities of this service.

AIS navigation

As you know, AIS (automated identification system) has been used in shipping since the early 90s, the main purpose of which is to improve the monitoring and safety of maritime transport. Its capabilities allow you to identify a ship, its course, dimensions and other parameters using VHF radio waves. The system covers an area of ​​about 9 million square kilometers of coastal areas around the globe, including about 2,500 ports in areas of the highest maritime traffic.

In 2004, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) required ships with a gross tonnage of more than 300 tons to install a special AIS transmitter on board the ship. The latter’s responsibilities include transmitting in real time to a special receiving station all necessary information about the vessel, including its speed, course, location, name, dimensions, and other relevant data.

The site I'm reviewing, MarineTraffic.com, receives data from more than 1,200 AIS receiving stations around the world. After collecting data, they are transferred to a processing center, where they are processed and plotted on a map posted on the service. At the same time, the indicated map of ship movement online is available both through a browser on a desktop PC and through the corresponding application for mobile devices.

So what is Marine Traffic?

MarineTraffic is a popular network service in the world for tracking the location of marine vessels. The resource collects real-time data about the location of the vessel (as well as information about its course, speed, tonnage, and so on). And displays it on the corresponding map, thereby greatly facilitating the work of people directly connected with the sea.

The purpose of the vessel traffic map service is to increase the transparency and efficiency of maritime transport. The site allows you to track the location of many vessels, making data on them available to ordinary users. At the same time, the resource is actively developing, inviting interested parties to take direct part in its formation and further progress.

If you want to take a look, you need to check out my selection of the best services here.

How to use the Marine Traffic real-time ship traffic map

After going to the website marinetraffic.com, you will immediately be taken to the service’s working map.

I recommend scrolling down the work screen and using the Russian interface instead of the default English one. At the same time, I will warn the reader that most of the interface will remain in English one way or another.

You will then need to go through the registration process (after which you will have access to a number of special options at the “My Fleets” level, allowing you to track the vessels of your choice). To do this, click on “Login” at the top, then on “Register”, and go through the registration procedure via email.

The map schematically shows different types of vessels in different colors (transport, tankers, passenger, high-speed, special, fishing, etc.)

By hovering the cursor over the vessel you need, you can get information about its name and final destination. More detailed information is available only after paying the appropriate fee for using the site (an annual subscription, a subscription depending on the number of vessels you have chosen, and so on).

Service control panel in Russian

The Marine Traffic service control panel is divided into two main parts - the left panel and the top panel.

The left panel contains the following options:

The top panel has the following options:

Conclusion

Despite all the richness of the Marine Traffic website’s capabilities, its free functionality is quite limited, being of interest only in terms of familiarization with the capabilities of the service. All the completeness of the information on the vessel traffic maps that the user needs can only be obtained by paying for the paid functionality of the site, which is really quite impressive and will be fully useful to people associated with the sea and maritime transportation.

MarineTraffic - what is it?

Marine traffic is a shareware service to track the location of a vessel online. On the world map you can find any ships that are in port or at sea. In the service options you can also track the location of the vessel by its name in real time.
When you select a vessel on the map, a window pops up with information about the vessel online:

• ship name
• type of vessel (container, tanker, passenger ship, etc.)
• ship status
• ship speed
• ship course
• ship's draft

Operating principle of Marine traffic and AIS systems

Nowadays, almost all ships are equipped with an automatic identification system, AIS, which allows you to track the ship and avoid collisions between ships. At what maximum distance can a ship be tracked on a map? It all depends on the height of the antenna located on the ship itself and at the nearest station on land. Conventional AIS stations cover a range of about 40 nautical miles (about 75 km). In some cases, the location of the ship can be tracked at a distance of 200 miles, and this is, not a little, 370 km. But this is the case if the AIS station is located high above sea level, for example on a mountain, and the ship itself is equipped with a good antenna. Thus, anyone can track a vessel online using the Marinetraffic service.

How to track a ship on the map?

If you have the name of a ship, the easiest way to find out the ship's location is to enter it in the map search and the system will immediately show the ship's position and information about it. If you know that the ship has not yet left a certain port or it could not have gone far from it, you can try to find the desired port in the same search form. And then use the familiar mouse actions to point at all the vessels and view information about them. Also, to make your search easier, you can filter ships by type. For example, select only passenger, fishing or cargo ships. The service is intuitive and if you have the skills to use a map, then finding out the location of the vessel in real time will not be difficult for you.