Topic 5 : 1.2.5.2 Operational Use of AIS (model course 1.

34) 9

LEARNING OUTCOME: OPERATE VARIOUS BRIDGE EQUIPMENTS

Automatic Identification System?

The AIS is a Very High Frequency (VHF) radio broadcasting system which enables AIS equipped vessels
and shore-based stations to send and receive identifying information.
This information can:

 be displayed on a computer or chart plotter

 aid in situational awareness
 provide a means to assist in collision avoidance.

The International Maritime Organization (IMO) defines AIS as a ship and shore based broadcast system,
operating in the VHF maritime band.
The AIS can handle over 2,000 reports per minute and may update information as often as every two
seconds.
There are two types of ship borne AIS:

 AIS Class A
 AIS Class B.

AIS Class A
AIS Class A has been mandated by the IMO through the Safety of Life at Sea Convention (SOLAS), for:

 vessels of 300 gross tonnage and upwards engaged on international voyages

 cargo ships of 500 gross tonnage and upwards not engaged on international voyages
 passenger ships, irrespective of size, which carry more than 12 passengers.

AIS Class B
AIS Class B provides less functionality than an AIS Class A and is intended for non-SOLAS vessels and
pleasure craft.
The IMO does not mandate for AIS Class B to be installed.
There are also different types of non-shipborne AIS, including:

 AIS used for shore stations (AIS Base Stations)

 AIS Aids to Navigation (AIS AtoN)
 AIS Search and Rescue Transmitters (AIS SART)
 AIS fitted to Search and Rescue Aircraft (SAR aircraft)
 Man Overboard units (AIS MOB).
 The Automatic Identification System (AIS) is an automatic tracking system used on ships and
by vessel traffic services (VTS) for identifying and locating vessels by electronically exchanging
data with other nearby ships, AIS base stations, and satellites. When satellites are used to detect
AIS signatures, the term Satellite-AIS (S-AIS) is used. AIS information supplements marine radar,
which continues to be the primary method of collision avoidance for water transport.


 A marine traffic coordinator using AIS and radar to manage vessel traffic.


 An AIS-equipped system on board a ship presents the bearing and distance of nearby vessels in a
radar-like display format.


 A graphical display of AIS data on board a ship.

 Information provided by AIS equipment, such as unique identification, position, course, and
speed, can be displayed on a screen or anECDIS. AIS is intended to assist a
vessel's watchstanding officers and allow maritime authorities to track and monitor vessel
movements. AIS integrates a standardized VHF transceiver with a positioning system such as
a GPS or LORAN-C receiver, with other electronic navigation sensors, such as
 a gyrocompass or rate of turn indicator. Vessels fitted with AIS transceivers can be tracked by
AIS base stations located along coast lines or, when out of range of terrestrial networks, through
a growing number of satellites that are fitted with special AIS receivers which are capable of
deconflicting a large number of signatures.
 The International Maritime Organization's International Convention for the Safety of Life at
Sea requires AIS to be fitted aboard international voyaging ships with gross tonnage (GT) of 300
or more, and all passenger ships regardless of size.[1]
AIS OVERVIEW

AIS stands for Automatic Identification System (AIS)

Summary:
The Automatic Identification System (AIS) is a maritime transponder/receiver system defined by the IMO
(international maritime organization) AIS operates in the VHF frequency band. AIS main objectives are :
 to improve maritime safety
 to protect the maritime environment
Practically the AIS:
 assists collision avoidance (AIS ship-to-ship)
 enables ports and coastal states to identify ships and to manage and supervise the traffic in their waters
(AIS Coast station).
Description:
AIS is a system used by ships and vessels for identification at sea. AIS helps to resolve the difficulty of
identifying ships when not in sight (e.g. at night, in radar blind arcs or shadows or at distance) by
providing ID, position, course, speed and other ship data with all other nearby ships and VTS stations.
The IMO SOLAS requires AIS to be fitted aboard all ships of gross tonnage >= 300 for international
 voyages. The ship data is displayed on a AIS data capable chartplotter with an ship symbol or even on
AIS data capable navigation software.

AIS transponders automatically transmit the position and velocity of the ship at regular intervals via a
VHF radio built into the AIS. The position and velocity originate from the ship’s GPS or, if that fails, from
an integral GPS receiver.
The AIS also receives heading information from the ship’s compass and transmits this at the same time.
Other information, such as the vessel name and VHF call sign, is entered when installing the equipment
and is transmitted less frequently. The signals are received by AIS transponders fitted on other ships or
on land based systems, such as VTS systems.
In order to ensure that the VHF transmissions of different AIS transponders do not occur at the same
time they are time multiplexed. In order to make the most efficient use of the bandwidth available,
vessels which are anchored or are moving slowly transmit less frequently than those that are moving
faster or are maneuvering. The update rate of fast maneuvering vessels is similar to that of a
conventional marine radar.

AIS transceiver sends the following data every 2 to 10 seconds depending on vessels speed while
underway, and every 3 minutes while vessel is at anchor. This data includes :
 MMSI number of vessel – vessel’s unique identification
 Navigation status – “at anchor”, “under way using engine” or “not under command”
 Rate of turn – right or left, 0 to 720 degrees per minute
 Speed over ground – 0.1 knot resolution from 0 to 102 knots
 Position accuracy
 Longitude – to 1/10000 minute and Latitude – to 1/10000 minute
 Course over ground – relative to true north to 0.1 degree
 True Heading – 0 to 359 degrees from eg. gyro compass
 Time stamp – UTC time accurate to nearest second when this data was generated
Not all of above data is displayed (Quantity of shown data is software of the Chartplotter).

Typically you can see on the chartplotter following data :

 MMSI number of vessel – vessel’s unique identification
 Speed over ground – 0.1 knot resolution from 0 to 102 knots
 Course over ground – relative to true north to 0.1 degree
In addition, the following data is broadcast every 6 minutes:
 MMSI number – vessel’s unique identification
 IMO number
 Radio call sign – international radio call sign assigned to vessel
 Name – Name of vessel, max 20 characters
 Type of ship/cargo
 Dimensions of ship – to nearest meter
 Location of positioning system’s (eg. GPS) antenna onboard the vessel
 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

The AIS is mandatory since 2002 for ships constructed on or after July 2002. It is already fully effective
for passenger ships and tankers constructed before July 2002 engaged on international voyages. End of
July 2004, it will be mandatory to all cargo ships 50,000 gt engaged on international voyages. It will be
adopted by all ships of 300 gt and upwards engaged on international voyages or not, in 2008.

1. AIS system concepts

AIS is a relatively simple concept as it uses VHF and GPS to transmit data to other ships increasing the
safety, and fun aspect of sailing.

AIS, or Automatic Identification System, is an ideal way to see and be seen in busy ports, waterways and
out at sea. It is a simple concept, fusing dynamic and static data together to build up a live image of the
surrounding marine environment.

AIS is simple in concept, using the VHF radio to transmit and receive dynamic data - which is taken from
the global navigation system (for example GPS or Glonass) giving the vessels course, speed and position;
and static data - (for example the vessel's MMSI number), which is inputted at installation.

AIS transmits data to other ships, shore side monitoring stations or aids to navigation units. It provides
many benefits to mariners including safety and identification solutions as well as increasing the fun
aspects of sailing; for example finding friends quickly.

2. A basic description of AIS at a systems level:

The Automatic Identification System (AIS) The Automatic Identification System (AIS) is included in the
International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS), and large ships began fitting AIS in July
2002. But AIS is more than a safety-of-navigation tool for large ships – it provides a means for ship to
ship and ship to shore communications and can provide a means to promulgate different types of
information of interest. AIS is a tool that has many applications. Is it the right tool for you?

What is AIS? Put simply, AIS is a Communications device. It uses the Very High Frequency (VHF) radio
broadcasting system to transfer packets of data over the VHF data link (VDL) and enables AIS equipped
vessels and shore-based stations to send and receive identification information that can be displayed on
an electronic chart, computer display or compatible radar. This information can help in situational
awareness and provide a means to assist in collision avoidance. In addition, AIS can be used as an aid to
navigation, by providing location and additional information on buoys and lights.

What are the classes and types of AIS?

There are two classes of AIS - Class A and Class B. There are also different types of AIS used for shore
stations (AIS Base Stations), aids to navigation (AIS AtoN), AIS on search and rescue (SAR) aircraft, and
AIS search and rescue transmitters (AIS SART).

AIS Class A = Class A has been mandated by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) for vessels of
300 gross tonnage and upwards engaged on international voyages, cargo ships of 500 gross tonnage and
upwards not engaged on international voyages, as well as passenger ships (more than 12 passengers),
irrespective of size.

AIS Class B = Class B provides limited functionality and is not mandated by the International Maritime
Organization (IMO). It has been developed for vessels such as non-SOLAS commercial vessels and
recreational craft. However, Class B may be mandated by state/territory and port regulations for some
types of vessels.

AIS Base Station = Base Stations are provided by aids to navigation authorities to enable the ship to
shore / shore to ship transmission of information. Networked AIS Base Stations can assist in providing
overall maritime domain awareness.

AIS aids to navigation (AtoN) = AIS AtoN provide an opportunity to transmit position and status of
buoys and lights through the same VDL, which can then show up on an electronic chart, computer
display or compatible radar.

AIS-SART = Search and Rescue Transmitters using AIS (AIS-SART) can be used to assist in determining the
location of a vessel in distress. AIS on Search and Rescue (SAR) Aircraft Search and Rescue Aircraft may
use AIS to assist in their operations.

How does AIS work?

How do so many vessels and other AIS units communicate over the same VHF band?
AIS uses a time-division multiple access (TDMA) scheme to share the VHF frequency, also known as the
VHF Data Link (VDL). There are two dedicated frequencies used for AIS – AIS 1 (161.975 MHz) and AIS 2
(162.025 MHz).

The VDL is divided into 2250 time slots, arranged into frames, which are repeated every 60 seconds.
Each AIS unit sends a report to one of the time slots, at the same time AIS units in range listen to all the
timeslots and read the reported information.

Although Class A and Class B both use TDMA, they are different. Essentially, Class A units use
transmissions that are self-organised into existing free slots (SOTDMA) whereas carrier sense time
division multiple access (CSTDMA) Class B units listen to the traffic to determine free slots and decide
when to transmit a report. CSTDMA Class B has been designed not to interfere or cause degradation of
Class A units. A second type of Class B has been developed which uses the SOTDMA approach. These
units are known as Class B “SO”.

All types and classes of AIS use a Maritime Mobile Service Identity (MMSI) to transmit on the VDL.
Vessels that use Digital Selective Calling (DSC) radio already have an MMSI number assigned, and this is
the same number that they would use for AIS. In this way, you can think of the nine digit MMSI as a
telephone number for the vessel that can be used with different equipment.
 If you want to install and transmit on AIS and you do not have DSC radio, then you will need to apply for
an MMSI and provide a copy of your marine radio operator qualification. In Australia, the Australian
Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) issues MMSI numbers.

a. AIS objectives of the Organization

The Automatic Identification System (AIS) is a maritime transponder/receiver system defined by the IMO
(international maritime organization) AIS operates in the VHF frequency band. AIS Main objectives are :
 to improve maritime safety
 to protect the maritime environment

AIS is intended to enhance: safety of life at sea; the safety and efficiency of navigation; and the
protection of the marine environment. SOLAS regulation V/19 requires that AIS exchange data ship-to-
ship and with shore-based facilities. Therefore, the purpose of AIS is to help identify vessels; assist in
target tracking; simplify information exchange (e.g. reduce verbal mandatory ship reporting); and
provide additional information to assist situation awareness. In general, data received via AIS will
improve the quality of the information available to the OOW, whether at a shore surveillance station or
on board a ship. AIS should become a useful source of supplementary information to that derived from
navigational systems (including radar) and therefore an important ‘tool’ in enhancing situation
awareness of traffic confronting users.

b. System concepts

c. Comparison of AIS with radar

AIS and radar compared

 AIS complements radar and use of the two together is of great benefit in improving situation
awareness. However, it should always be remembered that AIS is fundamentally a ground stabilised
system while radar information is fundamentally relative to the motion of own ship, including sea
motion. Systems can automatically convert between the motion states but sometimes this conversion
cannot be totally accurate. This can sometimes lead to a real target appearing in somewhat different
positions depending on whether its positional data is based on radar or AIS.

The main advantages of radar are as follows:

• Radar is able to “see” a vast range of targets, all of which can be “passive” and need no electronic
devices on them to generate a “return”.
• All received data is relative to own-ship and its effective use does not fundamentally require any
knowledge of own-ship’s geodetic position.

The main disadvantages of radar are:

• Targets of interest are easily obscured in clutter and by line-of-sight shielding.
• Information on targets, apart from their present position and past (relative) track is sparse and open to
confusion with other targets. (Is that the buoy I am looking for or is it a stationary small vessel?)
• Movement of targets has to be inferred (even by a tracking radar such as ARPA) from consecutive
returns. When a target is turning this causes time delays in the presentation of data. Additionally, the
effective centre of the radar return from a large target can also change with target orientation, causing
speed and course errors as the target turns.
• Target heading is not strictly given by radar. In some situations the displayed course of a target may
not be reflected by its actual heading relative to own-ship. This may give different interpretations of the
collision regulations depending on whether radar or visual data is being used to assess heading.

On the other hand the main advantages of AIS are:

• Co-operative targets can give a vast amount of useful data about themselves, including absolute
positional, velocity and heading data potentially far superior to that obtainable by radar.
• AIS does not suffer from clutter problems and is relatively capable under conditions where the radar
‘line-of-sight’ is compromised (shielding by headlands and islands, etc.)

Conversely AIS has these main disadvantages:

• It relies on the cooperation of targets to respond. That is the target must be fitted with an AIS
transponder and it must be switched on.
• It relies on the target to provide accurate data.
• It relies on all targets and own-ship continuing to have accurate positional data referenced to a
common geodetic datum (WGS84). GNSS failures at a system level, e.g. satellite failure, intentional or
unintentional jamming of GNSS signals or a global failure in GNSS, will have varying degrees of severity,
including the total failure of AIS.
Radar and AIS
AIS and radar are two very different systems, each with its advantages. We have compared the two
systems in four respects:

AIS RADAR
Technology Radio signals in the VHF Radar signals. The signals
bands. The signals are are transmitted from your
transmitted from ships own ship and measure the
fitted with AIS. distance and the direction
to the objects hit by the
signals.
Range Theoretically, about 30 Depends on many factors,
nautical miles especially the wavelength
depending on antenna and the power of the
height, atmospheric signal transmitted, the
conditions, etc. antenna size and its height
above the surface of the
Only ships fitted with earth.
AIS transmitters can be
seen.
Reliability The AIS signals are The signal is transmitted
transmitted from other and received from your
ships than yours. ship’s equipment, which
Therefore, you cannot makes it possible identify
check any defects in the any defects in the signal.
signal received.
Blind The AIS signals can ”see The radar signals can be
angles around corners”. stopped by high slopes,
etc.

3. Detailed description of AIS data at a user level including safety/security related messages, AIS
Aids to Navigation and AIS Binary Messages.
There are 27 different types of top level messages defined in ITU 1371-4 (out of a possibility of
64) that can be sent by AIS transceivers.[19][20]
AIS messages 6, 8, 25, and 26 provide "Application Specific Messages" (ASM), that allow
"competent authorities" to define additional AIS message subtypes. There are both
"addressed" (ABM) and "broadcast" (BBM) variants of the message. Addressed messages,
while containing a destination MMSI, are not private and may be decoded by any receiver.
 One of the first uses of ASMs was the Saint Lawrence Seaway use of 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. In 2010, the International Maritime Organization issued Circular 289
that defines the next iteration of ASMs for type 6 and 8 messages.[21] Alexander, Schwehr and
Zetterberg proposed that the community of competent authorities work together to maintain
a regional register of these messages and their locations of use.[22] The International
Association of Marine Aids to Navigation and Lighthouse Authorities (IALA-AISM) now
established a process for collection of regional application-specific messages.[23]

Maritime Security
AIS enables authorities to identify specific vessels and their activity within or near a
nation's Exclusive Economic Zone. When AIS data is fused with existing radar systems,
authorities are able to differentiate between vessels more easily. AIS data can be automatically
processed to create normalized activity patterns for individual vessels, which when breached,
create an alert, thus highlighting potential threats for more efficient use of security assets. AIS
improves maritime domain awareness and allows for heightened security and control.
Additionally, AIS can be applied to freshwater river systems and lakes.

Short safety-related messages

Short safety-related messages are fixed or free format text messages addressed either to a specified
destination (MMSI) or all ships in the area. Their content should be relevant to the safety of navigation,
e.g. an iceberg sighted or a buoy not on station. Messages should be kept as short as possible. The
system allows up to 158 characters per message but the shorter the message the easier it will find free
space for transmission. At present, these messages are not further regulated, to keep all possibilities
open.

Operator acknowledgement may be requested by a text message.

Short safety-related messages are only an additional means to broadcast maritime safety information.
Whilst their importance should not be underestimated, the usage of such short safety-related messages
does not remove any of the requirements of the Global Maritime Distress and Safety System (GMDSS).

The operator should ensure that he displays and considers incoming safety-related messages and
should send safety-related messages as required.

According to SOLAS regulation V/31 (Danger messages)

“The master of every ship which meets with dangerous ice, a dangerous derelict, or any other direct
danger to navigation, or ...is bound to communicate the information by all the means at his disposal to
ships in the vicinity, and also to the competent authorities...”
Normally this is done via VHF voice communication but “by all the means” now implies the additional
use of the AIS short messages application, which has the advantage to reduce difficulties in
understanding, especially when noting down the correct position.

Confidentiality

When entering any data manually, consideration should be given to the confidentiality of this
information, especially when international agreements, rules or standards provide for the protection of
navigational information.

4. AIS ship installations

INSTALLATION OF AIS

1 Interference to the Ship’ s VHF Radiotelephone The AIS shipborne equipment, like any other
shipborne transceiver operating in the VHF maritime band, may cause interference to a ship’s VHF
radiotelephone. Because AIS is a digital system, this interference may occur as a periodic (e.g. every 20
s) soft clicking sound on a ship’s radiotelephone. This affect may become more noticeable when the
VHF radiotelephone antenna is located near the AIS VHF antenna and when the radiotelephone is
operating on channels near the AIS operating channels (e.g. channels 27, 28 and 86). Attention should
be paid to the location and installation of different antennas in order to obtain the best possible
efficiency. Special attention should be paid to the installation of mandatory antennas like the AIS
antennas.

2 VHF Antenna Installation

2.2.1 Location
Location of the mandatory AIS VHF antenna should be carefully considered. Digital communication is
more sensitive than analogue/voice communication to interference created by reflections in
obstructions like masts and booms. It may be necessary to relocate the VHF radiotelephone antenna to
minimize interference effects.

To minimise interference effects, the following guidelines apply:

 The AIS VHF antenna should have omnidirectional vertical polarisation.

 The AIS VHF antenna should be placed in an elevated position that is as free as possible
with a minimum of 2 metres in horizontal direction from constructions made of
conductive materials. The antenna should not be installed close to any large vertical
obstruction. The objective for the AIS VHF antenna is to see the horizon freely through
360°.
 The AIS VHF antenna should be installed safely away from interfering high-power energy
sources like radar and other transmitting radio antennas, preferably at least 3 m away
from and out of the transmitting beam.
  Ideally there should not be more than one antenna on the same level. The AIS VHF
antenna should be mounted directly above or below the ship’s primary VHF
radiotelephone antenna, with no horizontal separation and with a minimum of 2 m
vertical separation. If it is located on the same level as other antennas, the distance
apart should be at least 10 m.

2.2.2 Cabling
The cable should be kept as short as possible to minimise attenuation of the signal. Double screened
coaxial cables equal or better than RG214 are recommended. All outdoor installed connectors on the
coaxial cables should be waterproof by design to protect against water penetration into the antenna
cable.

Coaxial cables should be installed in separate signal cable channels/tubes and at least 10 cm away from
power supply cables. Crossing of cables should be done at right angles (90°). Coaxial cables should not
be exposed to sharp bends, which may lead to change the characteristic impedance of the cable. The
minimum bend radius should be 5 times the cable's outside diameter.

2.2.3 Grounding
Coaxial down-leads should be used for all antennas, and the coaxial screen should be connected to
ground at one end.

2.3 GNSS Antenna installation

Class A AIS should be connected to a GNSS antenna.

2.3.1 Location

The GNSS antenna should be installed where it has a clear view of the sky. The objective is to see the
horizon freely through 360° with a vertical observation of 5 to 90° above the horizon. Small diameter
obstructions, such as masts and booms, do not seriously degrade signal reception, but such objects
should not eclipse more than a few degrees of any given bearing. Locate the antenna at least three
meters away from and out of the transmitting beam of high-power transmitters (S-Band Radar and/or
Inmarsat systems). This includes the ship’s own AIS VHF antenna if it is designed and installed
separately. If a DGNSS system is included or connected to the AIS system, the installation of the antenna
should be in accordance with IEC 61108-4, Ed 1, annex D.

2.3.2 Cabling

To achieve optimum performance, the gain of the antenna pre-amplifier should match the cable
attenuation. The resulting installation gain (pre-amplifier gain - cable attenuation) should be within 0 to
10 dB. The coaxial cable between the antenna and the AIS shipborne station connector should be routed
directly in order to reduce electromagnetic interference effects. The cable should not be installed close
to high-power lines, such as radar or radio-transmitter lines or the AIS VHF antenna cable. A separation
of one meter or more is recommended to avoid degradation due to RF-coupling. Crossing of antenna
cables should be done at 90° to minimise magnetic field coupling. All outdoor installed connectors on
the coaxial cables should be waterproof by design to protect against water penetration into the antenna
cable.
2.4 Power source

The AIS should be connected to an emergency power source.

2.5 Synchronization

After installation, the AIS should be synchronised properly on UTC and that position information, if
provided, should be correct and valid.

5. AIS configuration description, including:

a. Carriage requirements

Carriage requirements
The requirements for the carriage of AIS have been defined by the Organization in SOLAS Chapter V
(Reference R5), namely AIS shall be fitted to:
• All ships of 300 gross tonnage and upwards engaged on international voyages.
• All ships of 500 gross tonnage and upwards not engaged on international voyages.
• Passenger ships irrespective of size.
 Passenger ships: not later than July 1, 2003;
● Tankers: not later than the first survey for safety equipment on or after July 1, 2003; and
● Ships, other than passenger ships and tankers, of 300 GT and upwards but less than 50,000 GT: not
later than the first safety equipment survey after July 1, 2004, or by December 31, 2004. U.S. rulemaking
to implement the SOLAS requirements and perhaps extend carriage requirements to other vessels not
affected by SOLAS is under development. The specific form and implementation schedule may reflect
requirements of the Department of Homeland Security, particularly the provisions of the Maritime
Security Act of 2002. In general, however, it appears that certain vessels not covered by SOLAS will be
among those required to carry some form of AIS in the future and will be those subject to the Bridgeto-
Bridge Radiotelephone Act. In December 2002, the U.S. St. Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation
and the Canadian St. Lawrence Seaway Management Corporation, in cooperation with the U.S. Coast
Guard (USCG) and the Canadian Coast Guard, issued a mandatory AIS carriage requirement for all
oceangoing and lake vessels transiting the seaway beginning March 25, 2003. The seaway authorities
are arranging for vendors to rent or lease AIS units to vessels without permanent AIS equipment that
transit the seaway after March 25, 2003.
Carriage Requirements
Carriage equipment is designated as Class A, Class A derivative, or Class B. Class A units are for
oceangoing vessels. Class A derivative units are portable carry-on units generally used by pilots in U.S.
ports and waterways. Class B units have less stringent requirements and are intended for use by inland
and coastal vessels. Class A derivative units have received the most attention in the United States
because they are similar to those that pilots have used as carry-aboard units. The definition, role, and
display requirements for Class A derivative units, however, are incomplete. Class B units also are not
well defined. More analysis of Class A derivatives and Class B is necessary before unit requirements can
be specified. The initial carriage requirements do not specify shipboard display for use by the mariner,
except for the minimal, basic numerical identification data. The minimum keyboard and display (MKD)—
a minimal numerical system—is used widely as a shipboard display but does not provide adequate
information for the mariner and could be detrimental to safe vessel navigation. USCG therefore should
establish new minimal display standards before MKD becomes the default standard for U.S. operations.

b. MKD based configuration

MKD = MINIMUM KEYBOARD AND DISPLAY

The shipborne unit includes a display and keyboard. The keyboard is used to control the operation of the
unit, normally aided by displayed menus. The keyboard is also used to input user derived information
into the unit, such as voyage related data and safety related messages.

The display included with the unit is also often used as the only means of showing AIS received data to
the user. Together with facilities to input data manually, this basic configuration is known as a Minimum
Keyboard and Display (MKD). The display of an MKD can, as a minimum, consist of only three lines of
data, just showing bearing, range and name of ship.

In practice most MKDs display rather more lines of data and may have a simple graphical display
showing targets geographically placed, replicating the form of a radar display. Possibly because it is
unclear what the word “minimum” is referring to, manufacturers do not tend to use the acronym “MKD”
in their manuals, referring instead, for instance, to the display and keyboard.

In common use, the term “MKD” refers to the inbuilt display and keyboard provided on an AIS unit,
distinguishing it from the display of AIS targets on a radar screen or ECDIS. This is the meaning used in
this course and therefore the use of “MKD” below does not imply reference to a truly minimum display,
(with only 3 lines of data, for instance).

Reference R14 states that the AIS should ideally be connected via an uninterruptible power supply (UPS)
to the shipís power supply (as defined in SOLAS Chapter II-1), to ensure operation through temporary
losses of the prime electrical supply.

The example configuration includes:

• A display and keyboard module used for viewing and inputting AIS data. This is the so-called Minimum
Keyboard and Display but as discussed earlier it normally exceeds the minimum requirement laid down
by the Organization.
• An electronics module or RF Unit, which is sometimes called the transponder module. This
interconnects with the display and keyboard module, the AIS VHF and GNSS antennas, and the
navigation systems of the ship.
• VHF and GNSS antennas for the sole use of AIS. These are sometimes combined into a single antenna
module.
A ‘pilot plug’. This is the connector that enables the interconnection of a Personal Pilot Unit (PPU) to the
AIS, allowing pilots to have special operation of the equipment. It is important that this connector
position is accessible from the normal position of the pilot.

Different configurations are possible. For instance, the display and keyboard module can be combined
with the RF unit. The complete unit may then be termed the transponder. The confusion with
nomenclature should be noted but it is not a serious issue.

The AIS needs to connect with the GNSS being used for the navigation of the ship. In particular, this
feeds the AIS with:
• position, in latitude and longitude, referenced to the WGS 84 datum;
• speed over ground (SOG)
• course over ground (COG); and
• the time (UTC) that these measurements were made at.

In addition, providing the GNSS receiver meets the latest performance standards (for example,
Reference T3) the AIS will also be fed with: information concerning the accuracy of the position fix, using
the inbuilt Receiver Autonomous Integrity Monitoring (RAIM) facility of the GNSS.

The AIS also needs to connect with the heading indicator of the ship. This will normally be from the gyro-
compass, although on smaller vessels (ships less then 500 gross tonnage) this could be from a
transmitting magnetic compass.

If rate of turn (ROT) information is available from the heading device it should be made available to the
AIS. On ships without such a device the direction of turn may optionally be derived from heading
information given by the compass, an external converter unit or the AIS itself. (ROT indicators are only
mandated on ships of 50,000 gross tonnage and upwards).

AIS units are typically designed to accept all navigation inputs through the digital interface (plug and
cable connection) known as IEC 61162 (Reference T6). (This reference is very technical and is not
recommended that instructors consult this reference for the purposes of teaching this Model Course).
When such an interface is not available a suitable conversion unit must be fitted. These conversion
boxes, when incorrectly set up, have been the cause of a number of inaccurate AIS data transmissions.
This is discussed further in Section 3.4.

Because of the difficulties of inputting manual information on an MKD (mainly because of the small
keyboard) a number of ship installations use a connected Personal Computer (PC) for this purpose.

c. Radar/ECDIS configuration

A simplified system diagram of an example AIS installation is shown in Figure 3. Connections to ARPA
and ECDIS are optional and are discussed in the next Section.
AIS data displayed on radar and ECDIS
Although increased situational awareness is obtainable from an MKD based installation, far better
improvements can be made by displaying AIS data on an AIS compatible radar or ECDIS. Recognising
this, the Organization has mandated that from 1 July 2008 all new radar installations must be able to
display AIS targets according to standards laid down by the Organization (Reference R7). Reference R8
contains new standards for navigational displays installed after 1 July 2008, which include display
symbology requirements for radar, ECDIS and any other navigational display (such as an MKD) when
showing AIS graphical data.

The ability to show AIS on radar or ECDIS is entirely due to whether the radar/ECDIS has been designed
or modified for this use. If so, the connection can be readily made by a qualified installation engineer to
any AIS (MKD) unit, as in Figure 3.

There are a number of advantages of displaying AIS targets on radar, namely:

• Radar is used as the main electronic aid to assist collision avoidance decisions. A common radar/AIS
display enables quick and easy assimilation of both sources of data.
• Radar screens are ‘large’and of good quality and normally situated in a prime position.
• The presentation setup of radar and AIS targets becomes identical. On an MKD the AIS may consist of
just a list of targets or be displayed on a plan display that may have a different set-up to that of the
radar, e.g. Head-up/North-up, different maximum range settings, range ring settings, etc.
• All the radars tools used for improved situational awareness (e.g., range and bearing markers) are
available for use on AIS targets and have an identical mode of operation, reducing mental fatigue.
• Overlaying radar and AIS data enables better operator decisions on whether a radar observed target
and an AIS target are the same object (target association).
• AIS target filtering according to the rule of the Organization can be applied to reduce screen clutter.
This is discussed further in Section 4.12.
• Automatic target correlation may be implemented. In the future this could be useful in reducing a
confusing excess of data. (At present such techniques are unproven and care should be taken in using
them).
Providing facilities are also available for displaying ërawí radar and radar target tracks on an ECDIS, many
of the above benefits are equally applicable to the display of AIS targets on ECDIS. This is further
discussed in Section 4.12 below.

d. Overview of operational problems caused by installation issues

It is clearly stated in the Organization ís AIS installation guidelines (Reference R6) that the functionality
of the MKD should be available to the mariner at the position from which the ship is normally operatedí.
(It is useful for trainees to be aware of this reference but they do not need a detailed knowledge of its
contents). Regrettably, this guideline has not always been followed by installers, with the excuse that
there is insufficient room to fit the equipment in such a position.

Poor positioning of the display unit leads to the following issues:

• Situational awareness is compromised because the effort involved in keeping the OOW updated will
reduce the use of AIS derived information.
• Safety and security related messages may be missed

•If the equipment develops a fault it will not be quickly spotted and may transmit misleading data for an
extended length of time.
• If the ‘pilot plug’ is also located on the display equipment this too is likely to be in an unsuitable
location, causing difficulties in interfacing to a pilot’s portable equipment, (see Section 3.2 above).

Consideration should be given to the repositioning of poorly sited MKDs, which should always be
performed by a qualified installation engineer.

When AIS was first introduced there were many technical problems caused by faulty installations of AIS
shipborne equipment. Users should be aware of the type of faults that can arise from poor initial
installation or refit, in order to initiate corrective action by the installer. It should be noted that some
faults can be caused by the installation or refit of other navigation or radio communication systems
subsequent to the fitment of AIS.

Typical faults, together with their likely causes are listed below. It is not an exhaustive list but covers
many common examples:
6. The safe use of AIS at sea:
Use of AIS at sea
It is imperative that the user of an AIS system at sea should be familiarised with the operation of the
actual equipment that is installed on the ship before use at sea. This is necessary to comply with the
Organizationís Standards, Training, Certification and Watchkeeping Code (STCW) and the relevant parts
of the International Safety Management Code (ISM).

Section 5 of this Model Course contains guidance on what should be covered within this familiarization.
Also, Annex I suggests guidance to manufacturers and Companies as to what should be provided for
familiarization training.

Because of the differences in operation between different manufacturerís AIS units and AIS overlay
facilities on radar and ECDIS these guidance notes are not able to cover details of operation of specific
implementations. Instructors should be fully familiar with the detailed operation of the AIS units or
simulators used on their specific courses.

AIS should always be in operation when ships are underway or at anchor. SOLAS Chapter V (Reference
R5) states that ìShips 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.

If the master believes that the continual operation of AIS might compromise safety or security of the
ship or where security incidents are imminent, the AIS may be switched off. This is further covered in
Section 4.7. In ports AIS operation should be in accordance with port requirements. Oil terminals, in
particular may have special requirements, see Section 4.8.

a. Bridge procedures

Bridge procedures
It is important that the use of AIS is covered in the ship’s bridge procedures. These should cover at least
the following aspects:
Frequency of checks of own ship data accuracy, including static, voyage related and dynamic data.
• Procedures for the update of voyage related and navigation status data.
• Cautions concerning the making of critical decisions (such as collision avoidance) based solely on AIS
data.
• Procedures covering the abnormal operation, or failure of AIS and cautions concerning the impact
such failures might have on navigational safety.
• Any special requirements concerning the receipt, transmission or data content for AIS binary messages
(see Section 2.6).

Users of AIS should familiarise themselves with the ship’s bridge procedures before use of the system at
sea and comply with their requirements.

The transmission of erroneous information implies a risk to other ships as well as own-ship and
therefore great care should be taken in checking for errors as in the following Sections 4.2-4.4.
 b. Data input and checking

Input and checking of static data

Static data consists of the following:
• Maritime Mobile Services Identity Number (MMSI)
• Ship’s name
• IMO number (where available)
• Call sign
• Type of vessel
• Length and beam
• Location of the GNSS antennas (external and internal)
• Height over keel (if facility exists)

These parameters are sometimes protected from being inappropriately changed by means of password
access. When not protected by a password it is more likely that inadvertent or misappropriate changes
could occur. For this reason it is recommended that the static data on unprotected systems are checked
by the OOW at the start of every watch. On a password protected system checks need occur rather less
frequently, provided the password remains secure. In this case it is recommended that checks are made
at least once per voyage or once per month, whatever is shorter.

It is recommended that checks of static data are made by comparison with a master list, kept close to
the display/keyboard used for AIS control, e.g. the MKD. If a change appears to be necessary the Master
should be informed and appropriate permission obtained.

The ship’s name should be entered without a prefix such as MV, unless advised by the flag state of the
ship. This is to ensure that the vessel lists of shore stations are easily searched alphabetically by shore
station and VTS operators.

The data entry of the antenna positions and the ship dimensions are inter-related. Figure 4 shows the
dimensions required to be entered. The system works out the ship length and beam by adding
dimensions A to B and C to D, respectively.
A ship of 100 metres in length by 10 metres in beam, with an antenna mounted 20 metres from the
stern, offset form the centre line by 2 metres to port would have parameters as follows:

A = 80, B = 20, C = 3, D = 7

Special care should be taking when any of the static parameters change, for instance the GNSS antenna
position or the ship’s name. Make sure that both the check-list and the contents of the AIS memory are
correctly altered.

Input and checking of voyage related data

Voyage related data consists of:

• Destination and ETA at master ís discretion
• Ship’s draught
• Ship type
•Hazardous cargo type, if required by competent body
• Total number of persons onboard (optional ñ not all AIS equipment has this capability)
• Route plan (optional ñ at the time of writing this Model Course most AIS equipment does not have this
capability)

This data can be input and checked by entering the appropriate menu structure on the AIS display. The
OOW should input the data at the start of the voyage and update the data whenever changes occur. It is
recommended that voyage related data is checked for validity by the OOW at the start of a new watch.

It is essential that the master gives clear guidance concerning both the hazardous cargo type and the
requirement for destination and ETA and that these are followed. Under certain security circumstances
these may be omitted (see Section 4.7). Disobeying these rules could compromise the security of the
ship or contravene port or flag State requirements.
The AIS field for destination allows for ‘free text’ of up to 20 characters. This results in numerous variations in the
spelling of the same port, making it difficult for other ships and shore authorities to identify the port uniquely.

The Organization therefore recommends in Reference R11 the use of the destination field for entering both the
port of departure and the next port of call using the United Nations code for ports known as UN/LOCODE.

AIS data
At a basic system level AIS communicates between stations by means of standard (digital) message types. These
message types have been internationally agreed within the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) and
those interested in this detail are referred to Reference T2. Many of these messages are not directly relevant to
the operation of a commercial vessel and deal with such aspects as:
• Allocation of operating frequencies and powers
• Management of the assigned and polled modes
• Search and rescue operations
Other messages contain information of specific interest to the mariner, such as the name, position, course and
speed of nearby vessels. Fortunately, the structure and content of the standard message format does not need to
be understood by the operator because the AIS shipborne equipment turns relevant received data into
understandable and ordered information. Similarly, the organization of operator input information into the correct
message type is automatically accomplished by the shipís AIS equipment, prior to transmission.
For this reason it is best to consider information to be organised into five ëuser-relevantí groups:
• Static data (ship related information which rarely changes, such as shipís name)
• Dynamic data (data which is continually changing, such as position and speed over ground)

• Voyage related data (data which is specific to the voyage, such as destination port and estimated time of arrival)
• Safety and security related messages
• Other user-relevant AIS messages (AIS has a vast future potential in dealing with other maritime information)
Each group is looked at in more detail in the sub-sections below. It should be understood that not all
manufacturers have divided-up their operating menus exactly into the categories defined here. However, this
categorization is based around the functional use of AIS and follows that used by the Organization.

c. UN/LOCODES

4.3.1 UN/LOCODE
The recommended format is to indicate the port of departure at the first six positions of the data field followed by
a separator and then the code for the next port of call

. In order to identify that it is a LOCODE, to separate the locations and to indicate the ‘from’ and ‘to’ ports, a ë>
‘symbol should be used as a separator. As an example:

A ship is leaving Dubai bound for Rotterdam. Use of the UN/LOCODE would represent this voyage as:

AE DXB>NL RTM If the next port of call is unknown, ‘?? ???’ should be entered instead of the
UN/LOCODE in the corresponding place in the data field. For example:

AE DXB>?? ???

If the port of departure does not have a designated UN/LOCODE then ëXX XXXí should be entered
instead of the UN/LOCODE in the corresponding place in the data field. For example:

XX XXX>US PBI
If the next port of call does not have a designated UN/LOCODE the commonly accepted English name of the
destination port should be entered, preceded by ‘===’ (3 ‘equals’ signs.). If no such name is known the locally used
name should be entered. In this case there may not be enough space available to indicate the port of departure.
For example:
===Orrviken.

If only the general area of destination is known the name or accepted abbreviation of the area preceded by ‘===’
(three ëequalsí signs) should be entered. For example:

NL RMT> === US WC

indicating a destination on the United States West Coast.

d. Use of safety and security related messages

4.5 Short safety and security related messages

This ‘text’ message service on AIS should only be used for safety and security related messages, either to a
specified ship or shore station destination or broadcast to all stations. Its use is not confined to emergency
situations but should be relevant to the safety of navigation or general security, e.g., an iceberg sighted or a buoy
not on station. Misuse of this facility for personal messages or the use of obscene language will lead to action on
perpetrators by Administrations.

The detailed operation of this facility will be described in the operating manual of the AIS and care should be
taken in selecting correctly an ‘all-ship’s broadcast or an (MMSI) addressed transmission to a specific ship or shore
station.

The message length is limited by the system to be no more than 156 characters for an addressed message and 161
characters for a broadcast message. Specific equipment may have fewer characters available for use. Messages
should be kept as short as possible in order not to overload the AIS channels.

Operator acknowledgement may be requested by a text message. With addressed messages the receiving
equipment will automatically acknowledge the receipt of a message to the sending equipment, although on some
systems this may not be clearly indicated either on the initiating or responding unit.

It is important to realise that even if the receiving equipment has indicated that the message was successfully
received it does not mean that the message has been read or understood by anybody on the receiving vessel. The
only firm way of ensuring that a message has been received is to receive an operator acknowledged message,
either via AIS or on another communications channel.

Most AIS equipment makes it easy to respond to a received addressed message, for instance by automatically
inserting the sender’s MMSI to the reply.

Short message of this type are only an additional (but sometimes convenient) means of broadcasting maritime
safety and security information. It does not remove any of the requirements of the Global Maritime and Distress
and Safety System (GMDSS). Nevertheless it is important that received messages are displayed, considered and
responded to, appropriately.

The facility is somewhat hampered by the poor text entering facilities on MKDs and is best performed on a
standard computer type keyboard, if this facility is provided.

According to SOLAS regulation V/31 (Danger Messages):

“The master of every ship which meets with dangerous ice, a dangerous derelict, or any other direct danger to
navigation, or Ö is bound to communicate the information by all the means at his disposal to ships in his vicinity,
and also to the competent authorities..”

Normally this is done by VHF voice communication but “by all means” implies the additional use of the AIS short
message application, which has the advantage of reducing difficulties in understanding, especially when noting
down the correct position.

When entering any data manually, consideration should be given to the confidentiality of this information,
especially when international agreements, rules or standards provide for the protection of navigational
information.

Safety and security related messages

All AIS shipborne equipment is capable of receiving and transmitting safety and security related messages. These
may be sent to an individual station (e.g. another ship), or broadcast to all stations. The message length is
restricted to about 160 characters.

For a message to an individual station (addressed message) there is an automatic response given from that station
stating whether the message was fully received or if there was a problem. This is ideally made evident to the
sender; although not all AIS equipment does this. For a broadcast message (to all stations) there is no automatic
response.

e. Use of AIS Binary Messages

AIS Binary messages
The AIS system design allows many additional uses. Some of these are already built into the system, such as AIS
AtoN messages but also there is a flexible message facility, known as AIS Binary Messages, which allows other
applications to be introduced into the future.

This does not mean that AIS shipborne stations have to be continually upgraded. Firstly, the new messages will not
affect existing messages and therefore equipment continues to work even with new messages being received.
Secondly, all messages are available on the digital interface of the AIS shipborne equipment, allowing other
special-purpose interconnected equipment to use these new messages.

The binary messages are designed to be in two categories ñ international applications and regional applications.
Some international applications have already been agreed on a trials basis by the Organization in Reference R4.

These consist of seven messages, which will remain unchanged for a trial period until mid 2008. Some of these
messages have already been incorporated in some manufacturers AIS implementations as discussed in Sections 2.1
and 2.3, above, namely messages for indicating the number of persons on board and the air-draught (height over
keel) of the ship.

The display capability of AIS binary messages is not part of the mandatory functions of an MKD and so to the
display of most binary messages requires hardware and/or software that is additional to a standard AIS. Also, the
use of these Binary Messages is optional.

The use of binary messages may reduce verbal communications, enhance reliable information exchange and
reduce the operatorís workload. They are not intended to replace other services such as GMDSS and SART. Since
binary messages place an additional load on the VHF data link, care must be taken not to impair the main functions
of AIS and hence long messages should be avoided.

The seven trial applications are as follows, detailed descriptions of the messages are contained within Reference
R4. The instructor should alert trainees to the existence and the capabilities of binary messages but there is no
requirement to memorise the following applications.

Application 1 –
Meteorological and hydrological data (IFM11) This gives data from shore stations and can include:
• Wind speed and direction (average and gusts)
• Air temperature, humidity, dew point
• Air pressure and tendency
• Water level and trend
• Current speed and direction on surface and at different levels
• Sea state, wave and swell height, direction, and swell period
• Water temperature, ice presence and salinity
• Precipitation type

Application 2 - Dangerous cargo indication (IFM12)

This message is designed to be used as a response to a request for Dangerous Cargo Indication from a competent
authority. The message content includes the harbour where the necessary documents can be found, the category
of main dangerous goods and their quantity.

Application 3 - Fairway closed (IFM13)

This message is used to inform ships about temporarily closed fairways or sections in ports. It includes the location
and extent of the area and the time period of closure.

Application 4 - Tidal window (IFM 14)

This message is used to inform vessels about tidal windows which allow the safe passage of a fairway.
The message includes predictions of current speed and current direction.

Application 5 - Extended ship static and voyage related data (IFM15)

This message is used to report the height over keel and is already included on some shipborne AIS
implementations. See Section 2.1 above.

Application 6 - Number of persons onboard (IFM16)

This message is used to report the number of persons onboard, usually on request by a competent
authority. See Section 2.3 above.

Application 7 - Pseudo-AIS targets (IFM17)

This message can be used by shore stations to transmit targets that are tracked by the VTS station. The
maximum number of targets that can be contained in a single message transmission is 7. In principle a
number of messages can be transmitted to cover more targets but to avoid overloading the AIS VHF link
there should be no more than necessary to provide the necessary level of safety. Instructors should be
aware that this is a changing situation and should make sure that any relevant developments in the use
of AIS are included in their courses. The actual IFM number is not important as the applications should
be accessed by user friendly menus.

f. Use of AIS in areas with security or piracy implications

4.7 Use of AIS in areas that may have security or piracy implications

AIS should always be in operation when ships are underway or at anchor. If the master believes that the
continual operation of AIS might compromise the safety or security of the ship or where security
incidents are imminent, the AIS may be switched off. If the ship is operating in a mandatory ship
reporting system, unless it would further compromise the safety or security, the master should report
this action and the reason for doing so to the competent authority.

Actions of this nature should always be recorded in the shipís logbook, together with the reason for
doing so. The master should restart the AIS as soon as the source of danger has disappeared. Ship’s own
data will be transmitted after a two minute initialisation period.

All AIS units have a security mechanism that detects the disabling of the AIS. This consists of a memory
function that records all periods when the AIS installation is non-functioning or is switched off. The
memory is not accessible by the user and is not affected by power-outs. As a minimum it records the last
10 times when the equipment was non-functioning for more than 15 minutes. This information includes
UTC and the duration of the ‘off’ periods.

This memory may be accessed by a competent authority in order to check that the AIS has not been
switched off without due reason.

Some MKD systems do not have a power on/off switch. It may be necessary to remove the ‘front panel’
fuse in order to switch off these systems, unless there is a separately installed AIS power switch. Before
removing the fuse in this manner check the equipment manual or with the supplier that there are no
dangerous voltages exposed.

Maritime Security
AIS enables authorities to identify specific vessels and their activity within or near a
nation's Exclusive Economic Zone. When AIS data is fused with existing radar systems,
authorities are able to differentiate between vessels more easily. AIS data can be automatically
processed to create normalized activity patterns for individual vessels, which when breached,
create an alert, thus highlighting potential threats for more efficient use of security assets. AIS
improves maritime domain awareness and allows for heightened security and control.
Additionally, AIS can be applied to freshwater river systems and lakes.

g. Use of AIS in oil terminals

4.8 Use of AIS in oil terminals

Oil transfer regulations contained within the International Safety Guide for Oil Tankers and Terminals -
ISGOTT (Reference T7) state that radio transmissions from a ship loading or discharging tankers must be
limited to 1 watt maximum. It should be realised that low power operation of an AIS is normally set at 2
watts. Some systems have a 1 watt manual setting for use within oil terminals.

If this setting is not provided the master should order the AIS to be switched off during loading or
discharging operations, unless port regulations override this.

This consideration should also be made when berthed in other hazardous environments where
explosive gases may be present.

Automatic Identification Systems (AIS) On some inland waterways, the AIS is required to be operating
while a tanker is underway and while at anchor. Some port authorities may request that the AIS is kept
on when a tanker is alongside. The AIS operates on a VHF frequency and transmits and receives
information automatically, and the output power ranges between 2 and 12.5 watts. Automatic polling
by another station (e.g. by port authority equipment or another tanker) could cause equipment to
transmit at the higher (12.5 watts) level, even when it is set to low power (typically 2 watts). When
alongside a terminal or port area where hydrocarbon gases may be present, either the AIS should be
switched off or the aerial isolated and the AIS given a dummy load. Isolating the aerial preserves
manually input data that may be lost if the AIS is switched off. If necessary, the port authority should be
informed. When alongside a terminal or port areas where no hydrocarbon gases are likely to be present,
and if the unit has the facility, the AIS should be switched to low power. If the AIS is switched off or
isolated whilst alongside, it must be reactivated upon leaving the berth. The use of AIS equipment may
affect the security of the tanker or the terminal at which it is berthed. In such circumstances, the use of
AIS may be determined by the port authority, depending on the security level within the port.

h. AIS alarms

AIS alarms
AIS provides a number of alarms to alert operators of failures. As a minimum the alarms described in the
following table are given, together with how the system reacts to the failure. Also included are some
brief guidance notes for operators:
Alarms will be repeated every 30 seconds, until acknowledged. The OOW should report failures to the
master. In mandatory reporting areas the competent authority should be immediately informed of the
AIS failure, with the authority of the master.

All failures need to be attended to by a service agent at the earliest opportunity.

Products vary widely in their features for display and alarm capabilities. Many calculate and sound
alarms based on the closest point of approach (CPA). The CPA is the minimum distance your vessel will
come with the target if both maintain their speed and course. AIS enhances this feature because signals
are received miles in advance of the CPA actually occurring. Based on your current course and speed you
know that an intercept of your vessel and the on-coming ship will occur in a given time (TPCA); you also
know just how close that distance will be (CPA).

Systems with CPA alarms sound a warning when the AIS target is first received and typically sound only
when alarm criteria are met. Customizable alarm parameters allow the user to define the distance a ship
will be predicted to come before an alarm is sounded. This may be especially important depending on
whether you are maneuvering in a crowded harbour or off-shore. For harbour sailing one would typically
want a smaller CPA because of the amount of traffic operating closely and specifically; coastal or off-
shore scenarios generally have greater CPA values.

CPA alarms are superior over range alarms because of their advance warning and they are target
specific. Similar to radar guard zones, when alarms are based on range the target must already be within
the predefined circle or range before an alarm sounds. Some ships may be within range, hence sounding
the alarm, but pose no collision risk because they are headed away or running parallel for example. The
alarm will sound constantly with this scenario and most mariners turn the alarm off until the vessel
passes out of the prescribed range but this means another target may go undetected. Often times the
watch-keeper forgets to return the guard alarm to its active state, providing no alarm benefit at all.
 i. Cautions of use of AIS

General cautions when using AIS

Sections 4.10 to 4.14 contain vital information concerning the safe onboard use of AIS when using the
system to increase situational awareness. The instructor should ensure that ample time is given to this
part of the course to ensure that trainees can demonstrate that they have assimilated all the
information.

Whether AIS target data is displayed on an MKD, radar or ECDIS there are a number of important
aspects to be considered before using such data. These are listed below:

1) Not all vessels or floating hazards will be transmitting AIS data and therefore AIS can never give
a full ‘picture’ of the situation. Although both radar and visual means of determining the
presence and position of targets is never 100% reliable, AIS data is inherently incomplete.

AIS data may be absent for the following reasons:

• Vessels may not be fitted with AIS as they fall outside of the carriage requirements of SOLAS.
This applies to most fishing vessels and leisure craft, which form by far the largest majority of
vessels. Warships may also not transmit AIS data.
• The AIS on board some ships may not be functioning due to a fault or because it has been
intentionally or unintentionally switched off.
• Navigational markers may not be fitted with AIS. In fact at the time of writing virtually no
navigational markers have an AIS capability.
• Floating debris, including semi-submerged containers, which may be visible on radar or by
sight, will not be transmitting AIS data.

2) The data being transmitted by some vessels may be in error. The early experience of AIS is that
such errors are common but it is hoped that by the use of better onboard checking procedures
(as suggested by this Model Course) they will reduce. Data errors can occur with any AIS
transmitted data as in the following examples:
• Navigational status errors are extremely common and result from a lack of bridge procedures
or when existing procedures are not being followed. (A spot check of ships in the vicinity of a
major European port in February 2004 showed that nearly 50% of AIS fitted ships had
navigational status errors ñ mainly showing underway when moored, or vice versa).
• Fixed heading errors can be caused by the heading offset not being set correctly, see Section
3.4.

•The data from vessels fitted with Class B AIS must be treated with caution. The dynamic data
updates will be less frequent than with Class B systems, therefore possibly creating apparent positional
jumps. Also Class B data is more likely to be compromised by poor installation and by connection to
inferior navigation equipment.
• Bidirectional ships are prone to having 180 degree heading offsets caused by failure to reset the
heading offset when the direction of travel is reversed. Such ships are often ferries operating in
restricted waters and this confusion can lead to potential accidents. It is important that AIS users on
these ships take great care to set the offset correctly and for other AIS users to recognise this type of
error.
• Position errors can come from a variety of causes including: a faulty GNSS receiver; incorrect
transmission of position data to other than the WGS 84 datum (this is possible when older GPS receivers
are connected to the system); apparent position shifts when the GNSS receiver changes constellation or
for other reasons; wrongly input GNSS antenna position parameters.
• Wrongly entered static data remain a common occurrence. It includes incorrect name, call sign and
dimensions. A particularly damaging error can come from incorrect entering of the MMSI. If two ships in
the same area are broadcasting the same MMSI then the apparent position of the ships can swap.
3) A faulty own-ship installation may be preventing data being received consistently, see Section 3.4.
4) As with radar, just because a target can be seen on a ship’s AIS display does not mean that the
opposite is true, i.e. the target may not be able to see your own ship on its AIS display.
5) Because of a SAR operation or for other emergency reasons the shore station may limit the time slots
used by ships by using Assigned Mode (see Section 1.4). This will increase the times between
consecutive updates of position and other dynamic data, therefore introducing perceived dynamic data
errors.
6) Unlike radar, AIS is totally dependent on the correct and continued operation of GNSS. GNSS at a
system level can fail or its accuracy can be compromised by a number of possible causes:
•A failure at system level, which could affect many or all satellite transmissions
• A major security situation could result in GNSS becoming unavailable or its accuracy being severely
degraded through the application of Selective Availability (SA)
• Intentional or unintentional jamming could seriously degrade GNSS coverage over a wide area
Nevertheless, providing the possibility of all the above is recognized, AIS does provide very useful
information to increase situational awareness and safety.

Users should be additionally aware that the dynamic data on a target includes the following information
on its positional data accuracy:
• The reported accuracy of position (high ñ better than 10 metres or low ñ worse than 10 metres).
• Whether the position fix device includes RAIM information.

With the additional knowledge of these parameters on own-ship, assessments of the likely positional
accuracy of surrounding targets can be made.
In summary it is useful for the instructor to give the following cautions, given by the Organization in
Reference R1:
• AIS is an additional source of navigational information. It does not replace, but supports, navigational
systems such as radar tracking and VTS.
• The use of AIS does not negate the responsibility of the OOW to comply at all times with the Collision
Regulations.
• The user should not rely on AIS as the sole information systems, but should make use of all safety-
relevant information available.
• The use of AIS on board ship in not intended to have any special impact on the composition of the
navigational watch, which should continue to be determined in accordance with the STCW convention.

In particular, the Organization highlights these cautions in Reference R1

• Not all ships carry AIS.
• The OOW should always be aware that other ships, in particular leisure craft, fishing boats and
warships, and some coastal stations including VTS centres, might not be fitted with AIS.
• The OOW should always be aware that AIS fitted on other ships as a mandatory carriage requirement
might, under certain circumstances, be switched off on the master’s professional judgement.

CAUTION

Not all ships carry AIS.

The officer of the watch (OOW) should always be aware that other ships and, in particular, leisure craft,
fishing boats and warships, and some coastal shore stations including Vessel Traffic Service (VTS)
centres, might not be fitted with AIS.

The OOW should always be aware that AIS fitted on other ships as a mandatory carriage requirement,
might, under certain circumstances, be switched off on the master's professional judgement.

Awareness of Negative Effects of AIS on Safety

Firstly, the OOW should know that some types of ships might not be equipped with
AIS and that AIS fitted on other ships might be switched off at Captains’ discretion.
AIS cannot detect non-AIS small boats and the ships that their AIS are switched off.
Early warning alarm on collision targets has been incorporated as a result of the
introduction of AIS. This will alert the OOW to a collision risk at an early stage even
before it can be detected by Radar or visually. However, this can lead to the OOW
being over-reliant on AIS. This is specially a risk in case of the non-AIS targets
which cannot be detected at an earlier stage. The AIS is not a substitute for officer
lookout but can only provide supplementary information for collision avoidance and
situation awareness. It should not be used as a sole source of navigation information
but only as a tool to enhance the safety of navigation
Secondly, the integration between AIS and ECDIS & Radar/ARPA has not yet been
achieved currently. Since AIS information cannot be overlaid on Radar or ECDIS, its

benefits will be compromised considerably. Most ships have been fitted with MKD
AIS and the MKD AIS itself has less contribution to safety. The OOW has to
associate AIS targets with Radar targets by the target bearing and range shown on the
MKD AIS in order to identify other ships. Whether this can benefit a ship’s safety
depends on the OOW’s capability to correlate the two targets properly.
Thirdly, the integrity, reliability and accuracy of AIS source data cannot necessarily
be relied upon since the use of Receiver Autonomous Integrity Monitoring (RAIM)
and the accuracy and validity of COG/SOG output are not required by approved
standards currently. The OOW should be aware that the accuracy of dynamic AIS
information depends on the other ship’s equipment and that the reliability of static,
voyage related and short safety related messages might decrease since Humans are
involved in putting these data in the system. Hence, the accuracy of all received AIS
information including that of position, COG and SOG, should not be relied upon
until the integrity of the information is proved. The OOW should do cross-checking
with other data before using the AIS information.
Finally, the AIS should be installed at a position from which the ship is normally
operated. It is much preferred to place the AIS as close as possible to Radar/ARPA,
or ECDIS. However, there are some ships on which the AIS are at improper places.
On those ships, the AIS can be a watchkeeping distraction if it is not used properly.
The OOW should be aware of its negative effects on safety.

System Limitations The committee finds several limitations to AIS:

◆ The systems are not fail-safe. Equipment that is not operating onboard can drop out of use for
surveillance. A decision to turn the equipment off or otherwise disable it also removes the vessel from
the display.
◆ The integrity of the data that must be provided by the carrying vessel is not assured. Some data are
manually entered by an operator and can be changed or could contain errors.
◆ Multiple shipboard sensors can produce multiple displays of single targets. The target ambiguity must
be resolved through a sorting process not yet fully developed. Further attention may need to be given to
such issues as the system capacity for transmitting messages, transponder coverage and the spacing of
shore-based repeater stations, the adequacy and accuracy of digital charting, the availability of vessel
instrumentation, and the need for standardized interfaces between equipment. Training will be needed.
Stakeholders such as vessel operators, equipment manufacturers, and vessel traffic managers should be
involved in developing training guidelines. Recommendation 5: USCG should identify critical AIS
limitations and infrastructure requirements and coordinate them with display requirements. USCG
should establish a mechanism to inform all users about system limitations that cannot be corrected
readily. Recommendation 6: USCG should work with stakeholders to develop appropriate training and
certification guidelines for AIS users that will lead to effective use and an understanding of system
functions and limitations.

j. Use of ATS to increase situational awareness in for both MKD only and radar/ECDIS
installations

Use of AIS data on MKD-based systems

While the use of AIS data on a radar or ECDIS display has undoubted benefits, useful improvements in
situational awareness can be obtained by careful use of an MKD-based system.

For instance, any ship that is manoeuvring in an unclear manner when observed visually or by radar, and
for which collision avoidance action may become necessary, could be attempted to be identified on the
MKD by range and bearing to assess its AIS parameters. Such identification may, for instance, show that
the ship is constrained by draught, towing or not under command. Also, the AIS may show that the ship
is proceeding to a local destination, perhaps unexpected by the observing ship.

In appropriate circumstances and subject to the possibility of mistaken identity, the call-sign and ship
name could be determined from AIS and a VHF call made to the ship in an attempt to clarify its
intentions. However, even with the more positive identification of vessels that AIS provides it is not
recommended that manoeuvring agreements are made that do not comply with the Collisions
Regulations (COLREGS). On suitable occasions it may be useful to confirm intentions of collision
avoidance manoeuvring that do comply with the COLREGS. It should never be absolutely assumed that
the vessel being called on VHF is the AIS/radar observed target and the situation needs to be continually
monitored.
Some Administrations require a VHF exchange for collision avoidance manoeuvring in defined
circumstances. The more positive identification that AIS offers is of clear benefit.

The AIS may offer different ways of ordering listed targets in order to assist identification but typically
they will be ordered by range from own-ship. Most offer a graphical display, which may be constrained
to a north-up orientation or may include other display modes such as head-up. If the radar and the MKD
are set to the same orientation display mode it can ease the association of AIS and radar targets.

The small screens used in MKDs may, however, confuse the situation if there are many targets in the
vicinity, particularly when the display is set to display longer ranges. Some MKDs offer target filtering to
reduce screen clutter, based on such parameters such as target range, CPA/TCPA or AIS target class (A or
B). These will be accessible from the MKD menu structure If the radar and MKD are not set to the same
orientation mode extreme caution must be taken not to associate targets mistakenly. Wrong association
can also occur because of confusion in the comparison of ranges on the MKD and radar.

The symbology used on graphical displays MKDs will probably replicate or be an approximation to the
symbology that the Organization has mandated for use on radar and other navigation displays be used
on radar and ECDIS displays when displaying AIS (See Section 4.12).

Because graphical displays are not compulsory on an MKD and actual implementations differ, further
description of the use of graphical displays is not covered here. Some of the information in the next
section on the use of AIS on radar and ECDIS displays may be relevant to particular implementations.
Operators should be aware of potential dangers in using proprietary MKD display modes. These can
display targets, for instance, as a visual approximation of the ëview from the bridge windowí. Such
displays can perhaps give a greater impression that this is the complete scene, despite the
incompleteness of AIS data discussed in Section 4.8 above

it is important that the cautions identified in Section 4.10 are always observed when using AIS.

The Issues of the Integration of AIS with Radar/ARPA or ECDIS

According to IMO Resolution MSC.74 (69), AIS should be provided with an
interface through which AIS information could be presented on a separate system.
Also, referring to Resolution A. 917(22), AIS consists of, among others, interfaces to
Radar/ARPA, ECDIS/ECS and INS. If the integration of AIS with this equipment
had been achievable, the effectiveness of AIS would be significantly increased.
Furthermore, it can be concluded that a MKD with three lines of data is the minimum
display requirement. The integration of AIS with other equipment is recommended.

Currently, a three-line MKD of AIS information meets the minimum mandatory

carriage requirements. However, it is not accepted to assist OOWs in decision
making for collision avoidance. In addition a stand-alone MKD AIS has a screen
separated from the Radar/ARPA or ECDIS screen. In the Summary of the 2002 Test
of AIS, team members on one cruise ship commented that it is almost impossible for
OOWs to monitor 2 or 3 separate screens and, worse than that, OOWs need to
associate AIS targets with Radar/ARPA targets. This makes AIS information
distracting rather than a supplementary information source for collision avoidance
and surveillance awareness. The experts suggest that the regulators and competent
authorities are to require SOLAS ships to integrate AIS information on existing
navigation screens (UAIS, 2004).

k. Implications of COLREGS

4.13 AIS and the COLREGS

The COLREGS as written at present do not explicitly mention AIS. This is likely to be the situation for an
extended period, until there is good practical experience available that suggests the COLREGS should
reference AIS.

It is useful, however, for the instructor to identify and discuss with trainees those regulations which
could be interpreted to be applicable to the use of AIS. The discussion can be based around the
instructor’s knowledge of the COLREGS, backed up by any relevant discussion papers that the instructor
may have access to. For instance, the discussion in Reference T4 may stimulate thinking in this area,
although additional or different’ interpretations’ of the COLREGS, applicable to the use of AIS, may also
be possible.

Collision avoidance
AIS was developed by the IMO technical committees as a technology to avoid collisions among
large vessels at sea that are not within range of shore-based systems. The technology identifies
every vessel individually, along with its specific position and movements, enabling a virtual
picture to be created in real time. The AIS standards include a variety of automatic calculations
based on these position reports such as Closest Point of Approach (CPA) and collision alarms. As
AIS is not used by all vessels, AIS is usually used in conjunction with radar. When a ship is
navigating at sea, information about the movement and identity of other ships in the vicinity is
critical for navigators to make decisions to avoid collision with other ships and dangers (shoal or
rocks). Visual observation (e.g., unaided, binoculars, and night vision), audio exchanges (e.g.,
whistle, horns, and VHF radio), and radar or Automatic Radar Plotting Aid are historically used
for this purpose. These preventative mechanisms, however, sometimes fail due to time delays,
radar limitations, miscalculations, and display malfunctions and can result in a collision. While
requirements of AIS are to display only very basic text information, the data obtained can be
integrated with a graphical electronic chart or a radar display, providing consolidated
navigational information on a single display.

l. Use of AIS AtoN data

4.14 Use of AIS aids to navigation

An AIS AtoN will be displayed on a radar or ECDIS using the symbology in the table below:
The additional information that is transmitted by the AIS AtoN and that will be included in the
information box when the AIS AtoN is ‘selected’ on radar or suitable MKDs, includes the following:
• Type of AtoN
• Name of AtoN
• Position of AtoN
• Position accuracy indicator
• RAIM indicator
• Type of position fix, e.g. GPS, Chayka, surveyed
• Off-position indication
• Dimension of the AtoN, including GNSS antenna position
• Whether it is a virtual AtoN

Both synthetic and virtual AtoNs will be labelled as virtual. If a floating ërealí navigation aid is associated
with the AIS AtoN (synthetic AtoN), such as a buoy, the real position and the AIS reported position may
not exactly tie-up. This may mean that the floating object has moved from its intended position.

An AIS AtoN has an AIS transponder associated with it. This transmits a special AIS AtoN message that
includes its position and other data about the AtoN using the normal TDMA transmission modes of AIS.

AIS racons have a number of advantages over racons but they suffer from a significant disadvantage. The
advantages include:
• Automatic and clear display of precise position on a ground referenced radar and ECDIS
• Auxiliary information about the navigational aid
• Not radar dependent. (Not all new S-band radars after 1 July 2008 will necessarily be compatible with
S-band racons ñ see Reference R7. This will allow the possible introduction of New Technology radar
that has the potential of superior sea clutter performance)

The main disadvantage is that the AIS AtoN transmits its ground referenced position and therefore its
usefulness depends on own-ship also knowing its own precise position to be of any use. Position of own
ship may be lost because of a failure in its primary and back-up GNSS equipment or it may be because of
a general failure in GNSS, perhaps due to intentional or unintentional jamming or a major GNSS system
failure. The latter could perhaps be provoked by a burst of damaging radiation from space affecting
GNSS satellite operation.
 Conversely, determination of racon position is entirely a ship-relative procedure and does not
fundamentally rely on a position-fix system. Nevertheless, in normal circumstances AIS AtoNs have an
edge over racons but to cover all situations it is to be expected that they will normally be collocated with
racons.

An AIS AtoN can use GNSS to determine its position, or use any other position fix systems, such as
Loran-C or Chayka. Alternatively, it can transmit a surveyed position, which is useful for AtoNs that are
truly ground fixed (rather than tethered to the sea bed).

From a technology point of view it is not necessary that an AIS AtoN is physically part of the AtoN. It
could be situated some distance away, perhaps on land. This type of implementation is known as a
synthetic AIS AtoN. This is sometimes a more convenient or economic solution to having the AIS fixed to
the AtoN. AtoN position may perhaps be determined by a position-fix system which communicates to
the AIS by a data link. Alternatively it may be a surveyed position.

Taking this idea further is a virtual AIS AtoN. This is where there is conveniently located AIS that
transmits location and ‘purpose’ data, for a geographical position which is not marked by a visible
physical object. Possible uses for this include the continued marking of buoy positions that may be
seasonally lifted because of ice. Another is the rapid ‘electronic marking’ of a recent wreck in advance of
being able to lay visual markers.

3.) USE OF AIS IN NAVIGATION

AIS provides identification of targets together with the static and dynamic information listed in the IMO
Guidelines para.12. Mariners should, however, use this information with caution noting the following
important points:

a.) Collision avoidance must be carried out in strict compliance with the COLREGs. There is no provision
in the COLREGs for use of AIS information therefore decisions should be taken based primarily on visual
and/or radar information.

b.) The use of VHF to discuss action to take between approaching ships is fraught with danger and still
discouraged. (See MGN 324 (M+F) - Radio: Operational Guidance on the Use Of VHF Radio and
Automatic Identification Systems (AIS) at Sea) The MCA’s view is that identification of a target by AIS
does not remove the danger. Decisions on collision avoidance should be made strictly according to the
COLREGs

c.) Not all ships will be fitted with AIS, particularly small craft and fishing boats. Other floating objects
which may give a radar echo will not be detected by AIS.

d.) AIS positions are derived from the target’s GNSS position. (GNSS = Global Navigation Satellite System,
usually GPS). This may not coincide with the radar target.
e.) Faulty data input to AIS could lead to incorrect or misleading information being displayed on other
vessels. Mariners should remember that information derived from radar plots relies solely upon the data
measured by the own-ship’s radar and provides an accurate measurement of the target’s relative course
and speed, which is the most important factor in deciding upon action to avoid collision. Existing ships of
less than 500 gt. Which are not required to fit a gyro compass are unlikely to transmit heading
information.

f.) A future development of AIS is the ability to provide “pseudo” navigation marks by enabling coastal
authorities to provide an AIS symbol on the display in any position. Mariners should bear in mind that
this ability could lead to the appearance of “spurious” AIS targets and therefore take particular care
when an AIS target is not complemented by a radar target. It should be noted though that AIS will
sometimes be able to detect targets which are in a radar shadow area.

m. Manual setting of regional operating settings

4.15 Regional operating settings

 Before entering the waters of a particular competent authority it may be necessary to enter AIS
transmission parameters manually, according to the requirements of the competent authority, (see
Reference R13).

This will be performed by entering the appropriate menu of the AIS and either entering new parameters
or editing existing parameters of stored regional operating settings.

It should be realised that in most circumstances this is an automatic function and the manual inputting
of parameters is only required in special circumstances, which will be communicated by the competent
authority.

No understanding is necessary of the meaning of the technical parameters (a brief discussion is included
in Section 1.5) but the data should be entered exactly as instructed by the competent authority,
following the operation manual of the particular onboard AIS. The parameters that can be entered or
edited are as follows:

Channel number A

Channel A bandwidth

Channel number B

Channel B bandwidth

Transmit/receive mode

Power

Longitude 1

Latitude 1

Longitude 2

Latitude 2

It is recommended that instructors prepare a representative parameter list that has to be entered and
checked into a simulator by trainees after giving them suitable detailed instructions to undertake this
task. The instructor will need to consult the simulator handbook to understand how to perform the
detailed action and determine representative parameters.