Our performance - ship safety
In 2012-13 we completed a project to evaluate the use of AIS as an aid
to navigation. The evaluation was conducted in the Torres Strait and the
Inner Route of the Great Barrier Reef, where coastal pilots, our emergency
towage vessel (ETV) Pacific Responder, and Royal Australian Navy vessels
provided feedback.
The evaluation concluded that:
• there was strong support from coastal pilots that AIS aids to navigation
contributed to the safety of navigation
• a range of equipment configuration issues need to be taken into account
in successfully deploying AIS aids to navigation
• coordinated management by AMSA of the timing of the transmissions
by AIS aids to navigation is critical to avoid signal clashes with other
AIS aids to navigation and AIS base stations within VHF range
• there are both navigation safety and service efficiency benefits of being
able to quickly deploy a virtual AIS aid to navigation for temporary or
permanent marking.
AIS via satellite
We continue to use satellite AIS data to deliver a continuous feed of vessel
information covering the Australian Search and Rescue Region. Satellite
AIS provides improved information on ship movements and maritime
activities to AMSA, the maritime industry, and the Australian Government
in a broader sense. The use of satellite AIS has enabled the development of
the automated Modernised Australian Ship Reporting System (MASTREP),
which replaced the previous manual reporting system that was prone to
under, or mis-reporting. Satellite AIS complements the existing coast
(terrestrial) Australian AIS Network, which consists of both AMSA and
non-AMSA AIS base stations, thus creating a much expanded coverage.
Figure 8
Display of virtual AIS aid
to navigation at Gannet
Passage
28