EMSA’s Maritime Support Services (MSS)
EMSA’s Maritime Support Services (MSS)
Telephone
+351 211 209 415
Fax
+351 211 209 480
Email
MaritimeSupportServices@emsa.europa.eu
2.05 T-AIS from external providers
Agency responsible
Data group
02. Vessel Positions
Coast Guard Functions with access
Maritime Safety Including Vessel Traffic Management
Maritime Ship and Port Security
Maritime Customs Activities
Prevention and Suppression of Trafficking and Smuggling and Connected Maritime Law Enforcement
Maritime Border Control
Maritime Monitoring and Surveillance
Maritime Environmental Protection & Response
Maritime Search and Rescue
Ship Casualty & Maritime Assistance Service
Maritime Accident and Disaster Response
Fisheries Inspection & Control
Status of implementation
Available
Dissemination channels
Agency web interface
Streaming to Member States
Point(s) of contact
Last reviewed on
Last saved on
Description
Position information provided by ships via on board Automatic Identification System and received automatically by terrestrial shore based AIS installations hosted by 3rd parties, namely commercial providers. This dataset is funded by Frontex and technically implemented by EMSA, under the EMSA-Frontex SLA.
Data elements
- Fixed/static information: MMSI, Call sign and Ship Name, IMO number, Length and beam and Type of ship
- Dynamic information: Ship's position with accuracy indication and integrity status, Position timestamp in UTC, Type of electronic position fixing device, Course over ground (COG), Speed over ground (SOG), True heading, Navigational status and Rate of turn (ROT)
- Voyage related information: Ship's draught, Hazardous cargo (type) and Destination and ETA
- Transmission related information: Identification of base station which received the signal.
Legal basis
SOLAS Regulation V/19.2.4
Scope and source of data
Since 2002, the SOLAS Regulation V/19.2.4 requires that all ships of 300 gross tonnage (GT) and upwards engaged on international voyages, cargo ships of 500 GT and upwards not engaged on international voyages and passenger ships irrespective of GT must have an AIS Class A onboard at all times. In 2006, Class B AIS transponders were introduced (with fewer functionalities but at a cheaper cost) and since then even smaller vessels have voluntarily started to use AIS technology.
Since May 2014, following stricter EU legislation, any fishing vessel with an overall length of more than 15 metres and flying the flag of a Member State and registered in the Community, or operating in the internal waters or territorial sea of a Member State, or landing its catch in the port of a Member State is also obliged to be equipped with AIS.
AIS data is gathered by shore-based stations owned by commercial entities and made available to national systems of Member States and other institutional users via EMSA’s streaming interfaces, which enable a constant flow of data (based on predefined criteria) between the commercial provider, EMSA and end users.
Technical implementation
AIS works by automatically broadcasting tracking information at regular intervals via a Very High Frequency (VHF) transmitter built into the transponder to shore-based receiving stations. The AIS transponders work in an autonomous and continuous mode and, presently, the two VHF frequencies used are 161.975Mhz (AIS1, or channel 87B) and 162.025Mhz (AIS2, or channel 88B).
EMSA provides different alternative mechanisms to retrieve T-AIS information:
- System-to-system interface;
- Graphical user interface providing access to T-AIS data;
- App for mobile devices (IMS App) providing access to current maritime picture on smart phones and tablets.
Conditions of access
In accordance with the specifications in place between EMSA and the commercial provider, this commercial T-AIS data is available to EU Member States’ authorities executing functions in the maritime domain, Ports, EMSA, EC and other EU bodies users.
Access to other communities may be requested, either on an ad hoc basis (to satisfy a given need during a given period), or in the form of an agreement (MoU). In each case, access will be granted only to information relevant to their mandate. The access rights for each user profile shall be determined by a decision of the HLSG for the specific agreed purpose.