Frequently Asked Questions
What is IALA-NET?
IALA-NET is a near real time maritime data exchange service, provided through the Internet. It has AIS data storage capability.
It is a worldwide service available only to national competent authorities who provide maritime data from their area of responsibility in exchange for data from other participants.
The service is intended to assist participating authorities in fulfilling their duties in relation to maritime safety, security, protection of the marine environment, and the efficiency of navigation.
IALA-NET facilitates the exchange of maritime data between its participants. It is a global, unclassified, voluntary, web-based maritime data exchange system.
It is similar to existing systems such as the HELCOM system of the Baltic States, the NORTHSEA system of North Sea States and the Maritime Security and Safety Information System (MSSIS) operated by the USA.
It is anticipated that IALA-NET will establish 3 server centres to strengthen the system redundancy and availability. These centres will be evenly spaced in time-zones facilitating 24 hour maintenance and help-desk personnel on workdays.
What is the origin of IALA-NET data?
IALA-NET encompasses data provided by its participants.
Participants typically collect data through national terrestrial AIS networks and provide these directly to IALA-NET or trough regional or global networks such as MSSIS.
What are the benefits of IALA-NET?
Here are some examples of the benefits to the Authorities of a country by having access to AIS information worldwide and not just in their coastal areas.
Search and Rescue (SAR)
During a SAR event, the ability to determine the position and identity of all vessels in the vicinity of the SAR event quickly is crucial for its successful coordination. The availability of AIS and/or other tracking data will provide very quickly an overview and complete the information given by each tracking system. An international exchange of AIS information will improve the accessibility of such data in regions where there are neighbouring countries, or give access to extended range detection data that may have been collected by aircraft or other means. The availability of global data coverage may also prevent unnecessary SAR operations being launched to search for vessels, which are overdue at their destination.
Marine accident investigation
Under SOLAS, investigation of an accident is the responsibility of Authorities from States which have a particular interest in the accident, such as the flag State. It can be of significant interest for those States to have access to historical AIS data to enable them to consider the circumstances of the accident, which could have occurred far from the country involved. It is assumed to be in the best interest of the maritime community that as detailed information as possible can be made available to any of these Authorities, regardless of their nationality, in order to determine the causes of accidents at sea – and ultimately to reduce their occurrence and impact.
Improving efficiencies of navigation
The example of the steps taken several years ago by the aviation industry to limit the waiting time to land at busy airports, thanks to the development of a global worldwide air traffic image, indicates that IALA-NET can do the same for the maritime industry and avoid ships waiting at anchor unnecessarily before entering ports, by adjusting their speed to reach their destination at the right time, saving on fuel and limiting their carbon emissions. Furthermore, the system should be seen in terms of global transport, i.e. 'intermodality' (corresponding with other modes of transport, waiting time); for that purpose global information is needed, not just regional. The efficiency of traffic management may be significantly improved with the availability of early notice of arrival or delay through global tracking information, which will combine LRIT and worldwide AIS data information.
Security
Investigating and ultimately combating the issues of piracy and terrorism can be strengthened with the availability of records of vessel movements. In particular, any investigations involving a State’s own flag vessels in overseas territories will be greatly improved, by the access to global tracking information. More generally, AIS information is useful for detecting unusual behaviour and aiding in the identification of vessels.
Traffic analysis
The availability of statistical records of vessel movements has proven valuable to enable traffic analysis, risk assessment and management. This results in the safer and more efficient design of waterways, routes, positioning and design of aids to navigation for the benefit to the safety and efficiency of maritime transport. Such an exchange of information will provide an efficient tool to the National Competent Authorities for implementing requirements to assess risk as required by SOLAS chapter V, regarding the establishment of vessel traffic services (regulation 12) and the provision of aids to navigation (regulation 13).
Environmental monitoring
AIS tracking data has proven useful in investigations of oil spill incidents, and statistical analysis of all vessel movements may prove useful in calculating the carbon emissions from maritime transport. Regarding carbon foot print, the AIS data exchange could provide an independent regulatory tool. The availability of data will also enable automatic early notice of the arrival of particular vessels carrying specific cargoes, which in turn will allow early contingency planning.
Other possible uses of IALA-NET
With further experience the IALA-NET data base could be augmented with additional information such as vessel registry information, PSC results, Equasis, other sensor data like radar, and a global data base of notice to mariners and navigational warnings, etc.
Who can participate in IALA_NET
Access to IALA-NET is only available to national competent authorities.
These are either IALA national members or, for a country not yet a member of IALA, the national aids to navigation authority.
If your organisation do not have such status, your application will be most probably be turned down.
However, you may be able to access IALA-NET through the national competent authority of your country.
Who is currently signed up with IALA-NET?
Please consult the Participants page which contains the list of current participants.
What is the mission/vision of IALA-NET?
At the beginning, IALA established a few so-called Guiding Principles for IALA-NET in Recommendation 142 on Maritime Data Sharing - IALA-NET
What systems are being used to collect the information?
Participants typically provide a feed from their own national/governmental shore based AIS networks.
The core of IALA-NET, located in Copenhagen, is based on AIS software from Gatehouse A/S
Does IALA-NET contain Satellite AIS data?
There is at present no satellite AIS data being fed into IALA-NET for the benefit of all participants, however this is expected to become the case in the future, since several IALA members now have access to satellite AIS data.
The IALA council has endorsed the creation of a separate and isolated data exchange channel for Satellite AIS data.
The purpose of this channel is to enable mutual exchange of satellite AIS data between governments who have their own (sharable) satellite data.
Does IALA-NET carry other data than AIS?
Not at the moment, however IALA-NET is not only about exchanging AIS data, it is about exchanging Maritime Information in general.
IALA-NET is envisaged to become one of the cornerstones of e-Navigation.
As the concept of e-Navigation develops, IALA-NET is envisaged to expand to other data types relevant to e-Navigation.
Some IALA members are currently experimenting with ship-ship and ship-shore route exchange (intended route) and developing e-Navigation services that project a number of relevant information objects onto these routes (weather and sea-state prognoses, Maritime Safety Information etc). IALA hopes to be able to make this sort of information and many more available through IALAt-NET.
What AIS data formats are used in IALA-NET
AIS data is exchanged in the raw AIS VDM format (NMEA).
This is the data format which AIS base stations and AIS receivers provide.
How do I connect my AIS network to IALA-NET
Connection to IALA-NET is done through a so called proxy and a simple TCP/IP connection.
First you install a piece of software called a proxy and some associated security certificates.
Then you need to identify an IP address and a port number on your AIS network containing the full AIS data stream.
You configure the proxy software to connect to this IP address and the proxy establishes a connection with IALA-NET.
You would need to make sure there is a suitable hole in your firewall for the connection to IALA-NET to be allowed to pass through your firewall.
How do I apply for participation in IALA-NET
Please see the Get Started page.