Use Cases
Use Cases for Satellite AIS
Please use the navigational buttons on the right to explore the various applications of Satellite AIS including Vessel Monitoring, Security, Environmental and Search and Rescue.
Ship Routing
As maritime traffic increases and the pressure on vessels to provide a “just in time” delivery grows, it is vital that effective, yet safe and secure ship routing is in place. S-AIS provides a global vessel monitoring capability that extends well beyond coastal based AIS and radar systems and this enables the possibility of extending ship routing measures to the open oceans where ships can be at increased risk from bad weather and adverse oceanographic conditions.
S-AIS can provide automatic monitoring of defined routes or areas, providing warnings to the ship routing operators if a ship has strayed, or is appearing to stray, from or into defined or protected areas. Authorities can then use S-AIS information to monitor information from vessels, such as speed over ground and velocity steamed, to combine this with other information such as prevailing weather or oceanographic conditions. Information could be provided to the master if it is deemed his vessel is at risk and whether he needs to slow down or change course. This information is critical to ensure all necessary preventative measures can be taken to avoid dangerous conditions.
Natural Disaster Relief
Natural disasters such as the devastating tsunami that tore through the Pacific Rim early in 2011 bring massive levels of destruction to the affected areas. Often when natural disasters strike, many automatically think of the people and land affected and not necessarily the damage it also brings to the surrounding waters and the vessels within them. In a disaster, authorities need to prioritise various actions, many of which will impact on vessels within the region of the disaster. Traditional coastal surveillance systems can be disrupted by inclement weather and natural disasters, whereas Satellite AIS is consistent coverage that provides wide area surveillance. S-AIS also provides real benefits to search and rescue operations as authorities can compare the traffic image leading up to and following an event to locate probable survivors as well as define the search area.
Piracy Monitoring
Modern age sea-borne piracy remains a significant international issue, one that costs an estimated $7 to $12 billion worldwide according to a study performed for the IMO (International Maritime Organisation). The nature and severity of pirate attacks have drawn global attention as pirates are increasingly prone to violent force using automatic weapons and rocket propelled grenades in their efforts to seise vessels. Although more than half of pirated attacks take place around the horn of Africa and the Gulf of Aden, piracy is also taking place in South East Asia, South and Central America, the Caribbean, as well as increasingly in West Africa.
Satellite AIS data provides the ability to detect changes in a vessels velocity as well as disparities between course over ground and the ship’s heading which may indicate that a vessel is drifting or pirated. Operators are then able to observe changes in velocity to alter their course when required. Satellite AIS data can be used to identify and analyse traffic patterns in highly pirated waters to help authorities determine safer shipping routes.
Enabling VTMIS in Remote Areas (Vessel Traffic Monitoring Information System)
VTMIS are put in place to enhance the safety and efficiency of maritime traffic by improving the response time to incidents, accidents and potentially dangerous situations.
Satellite AIS is key in providing a comprehensive traffic image to allow authorities to monitor vessels to ensure their adherence to regulations, recommendations and safe practices. Data can be used to differentiate between a vessel hove to, and a vessel drifting, allowing for a critical understanding of a vessel’s condition in order to address further complications. In addition, Satellite AIS data can be used in conjunction with meteorological data to determine if vessels are heading into inclement weather.
Arctic Monitoring
The Arctic sea ice is melting much quicker than scientists had earlier predicted with researchers estimating that by as early as 2030, Northern routes will be open for year round shipping. The vast region of the Arctic will soon be subject to increased levels of fishing, tourism, mineral exploitation and a viable new shipping route. The melting ice will enable ships to reduce sailing time by several weeks compared to sailing around the capes or transiting the Suez or Panama.
Satellite AIS provides the ability to monitor the vast region and identify ships travelling through Arctic waters where previous surveillance systems had limited detection. Satellite AIS provides a better understanding of Arctic maritime traffic trends to allow for necessary analysis into proper shipping routes.
exactEarth worked with Arctic Security Consultants to further explore the application possibilities of Satellite AIS for Arctic monitoring.
Our Demonstration site, ShipMaps, also illustrates the many different uses of Satellite AIS and its applications.