AIS is an autonomous and continuous broadcast system, operating in the VHF maritime mobile band. It is capable of exchanging information such as vessel identification, position, course, speed, etc. between ships, between and shore and through information broadcasts. The system can provide many benefits, including increased situational awareness, improved navigational safety and automatic reporting in areas of mandatory and voluntary reporting schemes.


Chapter V of the 1974 SOLAS Convention (as amended) requires mandatory carriage of Automatic Identification System (AIS) equipment on all vessels constructed on or after 01 July 2002. Implementation for other types and sizes of SOLAS Convention vessels is continuing until not later than the first safety equipment survey after 01 July 2004 or by 31 December 2004, whichever occurs earlier. As well, ships fitted with AIS shall maintain AIS in operation at all times except where international agreements, rules or standards provide for the protection of navigational information.

Specifically, SOLAS Chapter V, Regulation 19, section 2.4.5 states that:

"AIS shall

  1. provide automatically to appropriate equipped shore stations, other ships and aircraft information, including ship's identity, type, position, course, speed, navigational status and other safety-related information;

  2. receive automatically such information from similarly fitted ships;

  3. monitor and track ships; and

  4. exchange data with shore-based facilities."

In addition, the IMO Performance Standards for AIS state: "

  1. The AIS should improve the safety of navigation by assisting in the efficient navigation of ships, protection of the environment, and operation of Vessel Traffic Services (VTS), by satisfying the following functional requirements:
    .1 in a ship-to-ship mode for collision avoidance;
    .2 as a means for littoral States to obtain information about a ship and its cargo; and
    .3 as a VTS tool, i. e. ship-to-shore (traffic management)

  2. The AIS should be capable of providing to ships and to competent authorities, information from the ship, automatically and with the required accuracy and frequency, to facilitate accurate tracking. Transmission of the data should be with the minimum involvement of ship's personnel and with a high level of availability.”