The Definitive AIS Handbook
The world of AIS can be both confusing to newcomers and experienced professionals alike. What actually is AIS? What data does it gather? How can it help my business? Do I need AIS if I don’t have a business? Class A or Class B transponders? Do I actually need it? There’s a plethora of questions from those looking to get the most out of their tracking tools, or from those looking into entering the maritime industry.
We’ve compiled a comprehensive guide to AIS that covers a wide range of topics from specific AIS units to getting the most out of the data gathered. We’ve included some of the most commonly asked questions regarding the topic too. If you are ever in doubt, take some time to read through this document, if your question isn’t answered, feel free to contact BigOceanData.
What is AIS?
The Automatic Identification System (AIS) is a worldwide automatic positioning system based on fitting small transponders to vessels that continuously transmits a signal. This alerts other vessels and shore stations with AIS receivers to the presence of that vessel. The position information is supplemented with additional information about the vessel. The signals and accompanying information can then be received by any vessel, land station or satellite fitted with an AIS receiver, and is then typically displayed on a screen using interactive chart-plotting software.
Who has AIS?
International maritime law requires AIS transponders to be fitted aboard international voyaging ships with a gross tonnage of 300 tonnes or more, and on all passenger ships regardless of their size. Given its visibility and safety advantages many smaller vessels also voluntarily install AIS units. In many countries no license is required to purchase and operate either transponders or receivers.
The result is that AIS is used almost universally in the worldwide commercial maritime industry and increasingly so in the leisure marine sector. Not all vessels can be tracked by AIS. Naval and security ships generally prefer not to be tracked when on active duty, and cases are regularly reported of commercial vessels underway with their transponders turned off for unspecified reasons.
Free AIS Ship Data - ship tracking, reporting and signalling service
- AIS Hub AIS data sharing centre. Provides data exchange between volunteers in raw NMEA format
- CruiseCal.com wo ist mein Schiff gerade, Fahrpläne und Fahrpläne.
- Cruise Mapper Cruise Ships AIS - Cruise Ports and Cruise Itineraries World Wide
- Cruise Ship Deck Plan provide cruise deck plans reviews
- Hafenradar Das Hafenradar zeigt Schiffe mit AIS-Empfängern - rund um die Uhr in Echtzeit. Hamburg/Elbe - Weserhäfen - Nordsee - Ostsee - Nord-ostsee-Kanal
- Kieler Bucht Baltic Sea Bay of Kiel
- Nord-Ostsee-Kanal & Kieler Bucht Live Schiffspositionen Kieler Bucht und NOK
- MARINE TRAFFIC real time ship movements world wide, as well as ports
- My Ship Tracking real time ship tracking
- New York Harbor
- San Francisco USA
- Schiffsradar Weltweit Aktuelle Schiffspositionen LIVE
- Schiffsverfolgung live & kostenlos alle Schiffe weltweit online verfolgen
- Stavanger Norway
- Turku Abo, Finland
- Vessel Finder Search for AIS vessel positions worldwide
- Vesseltracker global AIS vessel movements and maritime information services
- WORLD MAP - MarineTraffic - AIS Live Map - Regions and Ports around the world. Highly recommended!
Commerical AIS Live! Sites
- ShippingExplorer ShippingExplorer - Live Vessel Tracking
- VT Explorer - Black Sea
- Vesseltracker.com is a ship tracking, reporting and signalling service, providing you with realtime AIS position data from your region in a map view and in Google Earth. Vesseltracker is ship tracking made easy!
- Whats in Port Your Guide to over 1200 Ports - Interactive World Cruise Map
The Definitive AIS Handbook
The world of AIS can be both confusing to newcomers and experienced professionals alike. What actually is AIS? What data does it gather? How can it help my business? Do I need AIS if I don’t have a business? Class A or Class B transponders? Do I actually need it? There’s a plethora of questions from those looking to get the most out of their tracking tools, or from those looking into entering the maritime industry.
We’ve compiled a comprehensive guide to AIS that covers a wide range of topics from specific AIS units to getting the most out of the data gathered. We’ve included some of the most commonly asked questions regarding the topic too. If you are ever in doubt, take some time to read through this document, if your question isn’t answered, feel free to contact BigOceanData.
What is AIS?
The Automatic Identification System (AIS) is a worldwide automatic positioning system based on fitting small transponders to vessels that continuously transmits a signal. This alerts other vessels and shore stations with AIS receivers to the presence of that vessel. The position information is supplemented with additional information about the vessel. The signals and accompanying information can then be received by any vessel, land station or satellite fitted with an AIS receiver, and is then typically displayed on a screen using interactive chart-plotting software.
Who has AIS?
International maritime law requires AIS transponders to be fitted aboard international voyaging ships with a gross tonnage of 300 tonnes or more, and on all passenger ships regardless of their size. Given its visibility and safety advantages many smaller vessels also voluntarily install AIS units. In many countries no license is required to purchase and operate either transponders or receivers.
The result is that AIS is used almost universally in the worldwide commercial maritime industry and increasingly so in the leisure marine sector. Not all vessels can be tracked by AIS. Naval and security ships generally prefer not to be tracked when on active duty, and cases are regularly reported of commercial vessels underway with their transponders turned off for unspecified reasons.