Coastal River Information

Service

Real Time Electronic Data

via

Automatic Identification System

(AIS)
 Congress supports/mandates
AIS!
• In 1997, Congress…stated that AIS
“technology should be the foundation of
any future VTS system” and that it
“strongly believes that this technology
will significantly improve navigational
safety, not just in select VTS target
ports, but throughout the navigable
waters of the U.S”, and, that we
“continue working with stakeholders…”
 Industry endorses AIS!
• In 1999, the National Dialog Group, comprised of the
marine private and public representatives, stated they:
“strongly endorse the widespread use of AIS employing dGPS and
onboard transponder technologies…that national use of AIS
technology on the greatest number of vessels is essential both as a
foundation of a VTS system…improving navigation safety…promote
universal use of AIS technology”, which will “be less intrusive and
distracting to the mariner than will a voice-based control system…”
• In 2006 at Inland Waterways Conference Industry asked
the Federal Agencies to collaborate and provide one
data standard that would meet all their reporting
requirements.
 What is AIS?
• Autonomous Continuous Station-to-Station Navigation Broadcast System
– 3 modes of operation: automatic/self-reporting, assigned, interrogation/polling
– Open protocol & non-proprietary
– Robust capability: can handle up to 4500 reports per minute
– Frequency agile: any 2 channels in the VHF Marine Band
– Versatile: multiple standard interfaces and display options

• AIS is an international protocol which adheres to the International Telecommunications

Union Sector for Radiocommunications (ITU-R) Recommendation M.1371-1 standard.
• Ship-to-ship, ship-to-shore, and shore-to-ship communication of information (e.g., vessel
identity, destination, cargo, position, speed, course)
• AIS is a shipboard digital broadcast system that continually transmits and receives
voiceless exchange of vessel navigational information
• AIS first used in Valdez, Alaska. Mandated by OPA 90. (Automatic Dependant
Surveillance System).
• Carriage mandated by the Marine Transportation Security Act
 What AIS broadcasts
• MARITIMEMOBILE SERVICE INDENTIFIER
• UNIVERSAL TIME STAMP (GPS)
Safety Related & Binary Applications
• SHORT TEXT MESSAGING < 156 characters
•Dynamic Data • DATA MESSAGING & BINARY APPLICATIONS
transmits interval every 2-10 seconds
Weather & Hydrological Information-
• POSITION & ACCURACY (+/-10m)
• NOAA Physical Oceanographic Real Time
• COURSE OVER GROUND
• SPEED OVER GROUND System
• HEADING • NWS-Real-time weather buoy (C-MAN station)
• RATE OF TURN • USACE Real-time Current Velocity System
• VESSEL IMO NUMBER (RTCV)
• COLREG NAVIGATION STATUS

Vessel Traffic Service (VTS)-

•Static & Voyage Data • ATON Discrepancies
every 6 minutes or upon change
• Distress Alerts
• VESSEL NAME & CALL SIGN • Urgent Notices & Warnings
• VESSEL TYPE & DIMMENSIONS • Traffic Advisories
• STATIC DRAFT • Radar Overlay / Pseudo-targets
• HAZARDOUS CARGO FLAG
• Additional Hydro & Meteorological Information
• DESTINATION & ETA
 Forthcoming USCG AIS Rule
• Announcement published October 31 st, 2005
• Extend to all U.S. navigable waters
• Potentially could effect 17,000 vessels.
– Commercial self-propelled vessel of > 65 feet
– No exceptions
– Towing vessel > 26 feet and > 600 hp
– Vessels carrying > 50 passengers
– Hi-Speed vessels carry > 12 passengers
– Certain dredges / floating plants, and
– Vessel moving certain dangerous cargoes
• Forthcoming rulemaking will address timeline
– Reasonable time will be given for installation/use
– Waiver provisions already exist
Vessel to Vessel Interaction
Meteorological & Hydrological Reporting
RTCV
Malaysia Dredge Monitoring Project
Lock Order Message

• Used by Saint
Lawrence
Seaway since
2002
• Improves
efficiency, lock
utilization,
mitigates racing
& wait time
• Allows Locks to
perform
Maintenance
based on que
• Allows industry
to save fuel
AIS Traffic Analysis & Vessel
Traffic Management
 Current U.S. AIS Capability

• USCG VTS
– NY/NJ, LMR, HOU/GAL,
Tampa, Port Arthur,
Berwick Bay, LA/LB, SF,
Puget and Prince Wm. Sound
• Joint Harbor Operations Centers
(USCG/USN JHOC)
• MOA with St. Lawrence Seaway
• USCG R&D AIS Efforts
– Prototype AIS installations and network
– Coverage analysis and evaluation
– Evaluating AIS & VHF voice communications
compatibility
• Alaska Secure Passive AIS
• Gulf of Mexico Offshore
Platforms
• NOAA Weather Buoys with AIS
• Commercial Low Earth Orbit
Satellite-Orbcomm launch
USCG Nation-wide AIS Project Overview
• Automatic reception of AIS information
nationwide out to 2000nm from shore
• Transmission of standard messages out to 24nm
from shore
• Display information to a Common Operational
Picture (COP) and share with other agencies
• 3 Phase implementation
NAIS requirements for inland Waterways

• Receive only in the following locations:

• Huntington, WV
• Cincinnati, OH
• Pittsburgh, PA
• St Louis, MO
• Memphis, TN
 USCG-USACE
AIS Demo project – Louisville, KY

• VTS Louisville – high water operations

• Only US VTS currently without AIS
• Needed to monitor traffic
• Manage river at high water
• Site survey – January 2007
• Full transmit/receive capability
• AIS transmit capability “test bed”
• Met-Hydro binary
• Vessel report rate
• Shared USCG-ACOE infrastructure
 CRIS Meetings
• Workshop on Waterway Navigation Electronic Data
and Information Exchange, January 2007,
Pittsburgh, PA
• Coastal and Inland River Service Data Workshop,
April 2-5 2007, Alexandria, VA
– Attendees: Gail Perkins (MARAD), Maureen Kenny (NOAA), Dick Ash
(USACE), Doug McDonald (IWR), Michael Winkler (ERDC), Jorge
Arroyo (USCG), Gene Diotalevi (USCG), Burt Lahn (USCG), Brian.
Tetreault (USCG)
• Standards and Classifications Workshop, May 22,
2007 Alexandria, VA
– Attendees: Dick Ash (USACE), Bob Brown (MARAD), Burt Lahn
(Coast Guard), Dave Lichy (IWR), Doug McDonald (IWR), Tony Niles
(ERDC), Michael Winkler (ERDC)
 CRIS Products
• Summary Reports from all three meetings
have been created and reviewed
• CRIS Project Plan has been drafted and
sent out for review
• Document Define CRIS Data Elements
• Groove Site being created
 Why is the Corps part of AIS
• Improve Safety at Corps Projects
• Improve Levels of Reliability
• Improve lock and traffic management strategies
• Real Time Operational data – to the vessel
• Electronic Navigation Charts Updates
• Lock condition (available, queue)
• Real time current and wind velocities
• River stage, water releases
• Navigation safety information (hazards, AtoN status, etc.)
 Why is the Corps part of AIS
• Statistical data Received from the vessel
will allow Corps to Automate OMBIL and
LPMS, $3 million plus in annual savings
– Tow sizes
– Commodities
– Tons
– Location, speed, heading, destination
 Current Initiatives
• AIS: USCG
• BargEx: Industry
• RiverNet: Port of Pittsburgh/Corps
• Real Time Current Velocity (RTCV): Corps/USCG
• Washington State Ferry System data analysis: Industry
• Regional Trans. Security System Coalitions (RTSC)/Portland:
Industry/TSA
• Locks Visibility Mgmt Systems: Corps
• MSU/Oakridge Grant: DOT
• GIS: Corps
• LPMS, OMNI: Corps
• VTS: USCG
• IRVMC(hazardous material): Corps/USCG
• SMART Lock: Port of Pittsburgh
• River-Pass: Corps
 Domestic Federal Navigation
Data Requirements
FEDERAL

DOD DHS DOT DOA DOC

CORPS TRANSCOM USCG CBP MARAD BTS SLSDC USDA NOAA

 Industry Concerns
• Concern for numerous initiatives and
developing Federal requirements with
perceived minimal interagency coordination
• Industry wants to see Federal standards
developed
• Industry concerned with protection of
proprietary information
• An Industry and Government partnership is
required.
 Suggested Next Steps
• Formal Establishment of Coastal and River Information
Service (CRIS)
– Require memo from Jim Walker, (Winkler supply draft ASAP)
• Define roles and responsibilities
• Establish CMTS as recognized Federal Focal Point

• Draft MOU with USCG to formalize a plan of sharing

infrastructure
– Walker initiate MOU and coordinate with Operations, Winkler
provides input
– Finalized by Policy Staff

• Draft a MOU to establish Interagency/Industry PDT

– Walker and Brohl initiate
 Steps Following
• CRIS ACTIONS following Memos and
approval from HQ, USCG, and CMTS
Partnership with industry via PDT
MTSNAC, NAVSAC, IWUB, AWO,
IWC
Identify Requirements
Harmonize Federal Data Definitions
Establish One Federal Set of Standards
Align with International and Inter-modal
Standards
Coordinate with Federal International
efforts
Questions