The Future of Automatic Identification System - Essay Example

Automatic Identification System (AIS) Shipping industry has been trying to come out with innovative ideas to ensure safe journey on the high seas. Goulielmos et al (1997) define the economics of shipping by stating that in this industry the factors of production are mainly the vessel (capital), the crew (labour) and the fuel. A shipping firm is therefore concerned with the question of how the firm or the ship can minimize the cost of producing each ton-mile, given the price (reward) of each factor of production. Automatic Identification System (AIS) is an effort towards ensuring the safety and thus increasing the level of production. AIS is an automatic system of tracking the ships on high seas. Shipping, has been known for many centuries as a formidable industry in itself and as a crucial means of propagating many other trades and industries. This mode of transport is one of the most dangerous as well. Therefore shipping industry calls for improved safety standards. Vessel traffic systems (VTS) uses AIS for identifying the vessels, exchanging data/ information and taking due precaution in case the vessel appears to be indulging in some suspicious activities. AIS is one of the most reliable standards adopted by the International Maritime Organization, a specialized agency under the aegis of United Nations. IMO is responsible for improving maritime safety and prevent pollution from ships. During the times of fog or at night on the high seas, AIS helps in easily identifying the ships from a safe distance and thus avoids any possible accident. Though ships are also equipped with radar for identifying and exchanging signals during navigation, but there happen to be some zones known as blind arcs or shadows, where AIS proves to be very helpful. Generally a vessel equipped with AIS will display the information relating to; The Vessel Name AIS Class: - A or B MMSI # - A unique Maritime Mobile Service Identity CPA - The Closest Point of Approach (CPA) Vessel Type TCPA - The Time to Closest Point of Approach (TCPA) Speed of Vessel Call Sign - The call sign of the vessel as entered into the AIS system by the navigator. Length - The length of the vessel in meters as entered into the AIS system by the navigator. Destination - The destination of the vessel as entered into the AIS system by the navigator IMON - International Maritime Organization Number of the vessel as entered into the AIS system by the navigator. Fig: A simple AIS system Within the usual radio range of 15-20 nautical miles, the Automatic Identification System can process up-to 4000 reports per minute (Desvignes et al, 2002). With the help of such information AIS can help in collision avoidance, safe navigation, ships routing, automatic reporting, search and rescue operations, security screening, and traffic analysis. To make all these things possible AIS facilitates (Capt McCabe, 2007): Ship to ship identification and information exchange: This helps in taking evasive actions, collision avoidance etc/ Ship to shore identification and information exchange: This helps in taking adequate steps for anchoring the ship. The ship sizes, type of material on board the ship requiring delicate handling etc are all taken care of during such information exchange. Short safety related messages (SSRM)L During the times of emergency brief messages about the difficult state of the ship can be broadcast to nearby shores and ships. Binary messages (texts): Binary text message for particular recipients can also be transmitted. Aids to navigation functions: Existing AIS could provide navigational aid in the form of information about the nearby vessels, places etc. Meteorological and hydrological information: To certain extent the expert system can also forewarn the ship about the weather conditions ahead, so that adequate precaution can be taken. Differential GNSS services: It makes use of differential navigation techniques combined with GLONASS and GPS, collectively referred to as Global Navigation Satellite Service (GNSS). Search and rescue transmitters: SOS messages can also be transmitted using AIS. Though it may not be detailed in nature, but still prove to be an improvement over the prevailing formats. Search and rescue aircraft tracking: In case the ship is stranded, and some aircrafts come on a rescue mission, the system could also help in getting tracked and communicate with the aircrafts. Therefore AIS gives a fair idea about the approaching vehicle and accordingly the ship can plan its strategy to deal with the situation. The AIS integrates radio signals from a VHF transceiver with that of a satellite based Global Positioning System (GPS) with the help of on board navigational equipment like Gyro Compass etc. Captain McCabe (2007) recalls the difficulties that marine vessels faced till the late 1990's if someone failed to pick up a radio to call 'ship on my port bow'. This would result in a number of marine casualty reports. It was towards the end of 20th century that IMO formally approved the approved performance standards for a Universal Automatic Identification System (UAIS), popularly known as AIS. The automatic identification system is broadly divided into two categories; Class-A: It has been made mandatory on vessels over 300 tons since July 2004. Class-B: Implemented in 2006, this class of AIS is meant for the non mandatory sector. Automatic Identification System is a relatively newer technique made possible with the help of available Information Technology tools. In fact it is yet to be fully integrated into all types of vessels. The AIS implementation guidelines (stipulated by IMO) state that1 'for ships other than tankers or passenger ships (300 - 2999) gt not engaged on international voyages' 1st July 2007 is the date by which AIS must be fitted into them. The way mariners are using the system, it appears to be one of the most uniformly used technology in the marine navigation. But the way advancements are taking place in the filed of IT, this information system too requires to be future ready. Advancements in AIS will depend on the advancements taking place in the fields of VHF transmissions, GPS, Satellite technology, Operating Software, and of course the IT. At times VHF transmission is known to behave in a peculiar fashion, and the VHF signals can travel long distances owing a phenomenon called 'ducting'. The existing AIS has not made fullest use of this feature of VHF. Oil spillovers are a big hazard in the sea, the AIS can identify the vehicle, but in case there is huge leakage of oil in the sea and the approaching vessel is unaware about this info, it may present a fir hazard for the vessel. Therefore a system must be there which can scan a wider area around the ship and then informs the captain that, the surrounding area appears to be corrupted, as the water content composition appears to be sharply different from the one on which the vessel is moving. A stream of water from below the vessel will flow through the system and keep updating the water content composition info. This would greatly help the fishing vessels, as they are the one's making enthusiastic use of the AIS. Moreover such information could also be used to look into the characteristics of the area, land and other related information. This will help in giving an idea about some of the potentially tougher terrains that the ship might pass through, because mineral content in water will tell the story. The AIS must be able to prepare a database about such differentiation and during the next and subsequent voyage, must be able to forewarn the people on board, before reaching those spots. In future the AIS might be equipped with two sets of info charts. One set could be with the approaching vessel/ port info, which are located near the vessel, as in the present format. The second set of info about the vessel, port etc. which are located at much farther distances. For such information the system could make use of the ducting facility of the VHF. Prerequisites for an AIS are; a computer and at least three maritime VHF transceivers (Desvignes et al, 2002). This requires some space for installation. Free space is at a premium in sailing boats or fishing boats, which are therefore too small to make use of such technology. But these smaller vessels are the one's which pose a threat to other vehicles, because when there are disturbances in the sea, these boats are the most difficult to see, even using a radar system. Today mobile phones have become handy tools, even for small fisherman. The Wireless Application Protocol (WAP) mobile phones are capable of retrieving and displaying on demand small sets of textual data and some reduced-size graphics previously stored on a web server. Therefore Desvignes et al (2002) suggest that WAP could prove to be a very handy technology for tracking such vehicles. Since the movement of smaller vessels happens to be predominantly near the coastal areas where WAP signals are easily available, hence this could prove to be a useful technique in future. As of now, a graphic display appears on the screens in the form of red and green dots, in addition to textual information. It requires complex calculations to figure out the exact location, length etc. of the approaching vessel. Since multimedia web-casting has arrived with a bang, in future the AIS must be able to transmit or receive visuals from vessels. This would give a 3-dimensional information about the vessel, therefore the navigators can use their judgment together with the computer calculations. This'd greatly enhance the safety and security scenario. With the help of the existing info made available by AIS, one could call any ship over VHF radiotelephone by name, rather than by saying "ship off my port bow". Or the captain can also dial the approaching ship directly using Global Maritime Distress and Safety System (GMDSS). In addition short safety related text messages can also be exchanged. If AIS can become multimedia friendly, then we could even have a video chat with the guys on board. Moreover once the multimedia content exchange is possible, some responsible officials on board can view the streaming video of nearby areas, approaching vessels, ports etc. 'live' on their screens. This would not only help in planning for the situation, but it can also be shown to the people on board, and tutored to deal with that particular situation. The existing AIS screens are quite big and fixed, i.e. not easily portable. Today, the advancements in computer and IT has made it possible to have handheld computers which can serve as viewing portals visualizing rich multimedia information spaces (Mehra et al, 2006). AIS can be made compatible with such equipment for the ease of carrying them anywhere on board, and smaller boats can also carry them. Moreover, the cost factor is quite considerable if we take into account the requirements of some smaller fishermen as well. Existing approved AIS can range in price between $1500 and $5000. In addition, the installation costs vary quite considerably depending upon the level of integration of the AIS with other shipboard systems (e.g. radar, speed log, rate of turn indicator, navigation positioning system, ECDIS, etc.) For smaller fishing boats this is therefore not a practical solution. The larger the size of the gadget, more will be the power consumption. Power is a very vital resource on a mission in sea. Therefore future ready AIS must be able to shed the overweight, cost less and be handy for the smaller boats to make wide use of them. As of now, the automatic identification system works well when both the role of AIS is informative and advisory in nature. But in future the AIS could come well equipped with features which are diagnostic as well, in nature i.e. if there are some problems with any machinery, equipment within the ship and it feels an imminent danger, then the AIS should be able to take include the symptoms, suggest remedial measures and in case the threat appears to be too great, it should be able to make use of its databank in handling the situation. Though leaving the security system on the computer or the expert system is, at times, quite un-predictive, but it should be the last resort. In fact the AIS should have a good enough data bank and must be able to correlate a world of information, before arriving at the solution. For the human beings it is impossible to study all possible permutations and combinations for arriving at the appropriate solution. Moreover during the times of emergency, human beings resort to frantic measures, and may not be able to do full justice to the demands of the situation. Therefore AIS must be able to come out with the best possible solution. AIS gathers information with the integration of VHF transmissions and GPS signals. The VHF radio signals are basically line of sight transmissions and have the inherent disadvantage of dying down beyond a certain range. The salty water of sea also proves to be an absorber of signals. Therefore the future AIS should be able to minimize its dependence on the role of VHF signals and instead must be able to integrate signals from the satellite. Theoretically it is possible to cover the world, as far as communicating signals is concerned, with the help of three satellites placed at an angle of 60 degree from each other. Therefore, the AIS can come out with information about any region the world over, with the integration of such information. References: 1. AIS transponders, http://www.imo.org/Safety/mainframe.asptopic_id=754 (March 7, 2007) 2. Captain McCabe, Robert (2007). AIS - much more than an Automatic Identification System. BEAM Magazine No. 35 Published January 09 2007, Commissioners of Irish Lights, Dublin. Available online at http://www.cil.ie/sh1100x5835.html (March 9, 2007) 3. Desvignes, G., G. Lucas de Couville, E. Peytchev, T. Devogele, S. Fournier and C. Claramunt (2002), The Share-Loc Project: a WAP-based maritime location system. Proceedings of the Third International Conference on Web Information Systems Engineering (Workshops)-IEEE. 4. Goulielmos, Alexander and Ernestos Tzannatos (1997). The man-machine interface and its impact on shipping safety. Disaster Prevention and Management Volume 6 Number 2 1997 pp. 107-117 5. MCA net (2007), Annex 17 - Automatic Identification Systems (AIS) https://mcanet.mcga.gov.uk/public/c4/solas/solas_v/Annexes/Annex17.htm (March 11, 2007) 6. Mehra, Sumit; Peter Werkhoven, and Marcel Worring (2006), Navigating on Handheld Displays: Dynamic versus Static Peephole Navigation, ACM Transactions on Computer-Human Interaction, Vol. 13, No. 4, December 2006. 7. Navigation centre. How Does it Work Available online at http://www.navcen.uscg.gov/enav/ais/how_ais_works.htm (March 8, 2007) 8. Zulkifly (2006), Automatic Identification System (AIS). http://www.maicons.com.my/cms1/index.phpoption=com_content&task=view&id=17&Itemid=44 (March 11, 2007) Read More