In accordance with IMO requirements all SOLAS ships in international traffic above 300 gross tons must have Automatic Identification Systems (AIS) installed onboard 

AIS is a shipboard broadcast transponder system in which ships continually transmit their ID, position, course, speed and other data to all other nearby ships and shore side authorities on a common VHF radio channel. 

AIS is designed to operate in one of the following modes:

• In a ship-to-ship mode for collision avoidance

• As a means for coastal states to obtain information about a ship and its cargo
• As a traffic management tool when integrated with a Vessel Traffic Management System (VTMS)

BDL Group supplies the full range of AIS products, ranging from national infrastructure systems to mobile units for the vessel.

Information provided by the AIS falls into several categories:

 

Static data

• IMO number (where available)
• Call sign and name
• Length and beam
• Type of ship
• Location of position-fixing antenna on the ship
• (aft of bow and port or starboard of centerline)

 

Dynamic data

• Ship’s position with accuracy indication and integrity status
• Time in UTC
• Course over ground
• Speed over ground
• Heading
• Navigational status (e.g., “at anchor,” “not under command”,

”manually entered”)

• Rate of turn (where available)

 

Voyage related data

• Ship’s draft
• Hazardous cargo (type)
• Destination and ETA (at master’s discretion)

 

Safety-related messages: as required