Coast Guard survey about future of electronic navigation

T

thataway

Active member
Unknown to many of us the Coast Guard has been holding listening sessions thru the country during the last few months (June 3 in the Public Library, Seattle for those of you in the PNW).

Here is the announcement:

"(WASHINGTON) — The U.S. Coast Guard, along with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, will hold public discussions nationwide on navigational aid technology and how it will affect the future of America’s waterways.

"The Future of Navigation — 21st Century Waterways" public listening sessions will be held in several locations across the country and will provide venues for open communications between various federal agencies and U.S. Marine Transportation System stakeholders to discuss the joint federal agency initiative to use modern technology to support a safer, more efficient, more secure and environmentally-sound Marine Transportation System.

These listening sessions will provide the maritime community — both professional and recreational mariners — and waterways stakeholders an opportunity beyond traditional venues to express their emerging needs for navigational information and service delivery systems necessary to improve the safety and efficiency of transits on the nation’s waterways.
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No one has so far bothered to put the dialogue of these sessions on the internet. The nearest is at:
http://www.maritimeprofessional.com/News/371891.aspx

which is a news letter of Professional maritime workers.

There is also information on virtual ATN at:

http://gcaptain.com/uscg-ais-aton-navigation/

But we all do have a chance for input at this time. A lot of the questions deal with the discontinuance of physical aids to navigation, and replace with AIS transmitters. Great for those who have AIS receivers on their boats--but what about the majority who don't--or who don't even have a clue what ATN mean?

This is out chance to express our opinions--some questions don't have a lot to do with recreational boaters, but much does. How about that all commercial boats, including gill netters should have AIS, as a suggestion?


From the header on the survey:

The Future of Navigation / 21st Century Waterways initiative is a collaborative Federal Government effort to effectively integrate information to establish a framework that enables the transfer of data between and among ships and shore facilities, and that integrates and transforms that data into decisions and action information.

Welcome to the United States Coast Guard (USCG) feedback website for the Future of Navigation / 21st Century Waterways initiative. This feedback mechanism is designed to officially record any facts or opinions obtained or solicited at or in connection with the public listening sessions conducted directly for the Future of Navigation / 21st Century Waterways initiative.


While submitting your feedback, please remember that the primary objective of the United States Aids to Navigation System (USATONS) is to mitigate transit risks to promote the safe, economic, and efficient movement of military, commercial, and other vessels by assisting navigators with determining their position, determining a safe course, and warning them of dangers and obstructions.
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Here is the survey--only takes a few minutes:

https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/21stCenturyWaterways
 
Thanks very much Bob. I just took the survey and encourage others to do so. It is little trouble and offers opportunities for comment.
 
Done. Now just hope that somebody is really listening.

Curious how notification (broadcasting on AIS would work).

Harvey
SleepyC :moon
 
hardee":ln768xgn said:
Done. Now just hope that somebody is really listening.

Curious how notification (broadcasting on AIS would work).

Harvey
SleepyC :moon
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At the bottom of the page of FAQ for AIS:

http://www.navcen.uscg.gov/?pageName=AISFAQ

"21. Is the Coast Guard broadcasting AIS Aids to Navigation Reports? Yes. The U.S. Coast Guard and other authorized agencies and organizations (i.e., U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Marine Exchange of Alaska) are or will begin transmitting AIS ATON Report and marine safety information via AIS (see our Special Notice 01-2014). The exact content, location, and times of these transmissions will be announced in the Coast Guard Local Notices to Mariners (LNM). For further information on AIS ATON refer to the various IALA Guidelines and Recommendations."

I'll let you look that up since there are several formats. Basically it is text, which can give ATON, as well as other warnings--sort of like the Navtex did/does.

This is being done now. There is a lot of research going this field, because of the expense of maintaining buoys, moving them etc.: How long until AIS (active ? Passive?) is mandatory? There are some harbors in the world where some sort of tracking system is mandatory .

"Analysis/Discussion
AIS

AIS aids to navigation differ from Virtual AtoN in that physical features exist, these fall into two categories:

Real – A physical AtoN exists and transmits an AIS message from its location. This is covered by INT 1 S 17.2 and S-4 489.1.

Synthetic – A physical AtoN exists but its AIS message is transmitted from shore based on its predicted or monitored position. The symbology in INT 1 S17.2 as for Real aids to navigation can be used in this case. However, there is a difference between monitored and predicted Synthetic aids, which should be conveyed to the mariner. However IALA state “the use of predicted synthetic AIS AtoN is not recommended for use on floating AtoN” (IALA Draft Guidelines on the Establishment of AIS as Aids to Navigation).

Encoding AIS targets in S-57 ENCs
If AIS is integrated with the ECDIS {Electronic Chart Display & Information System (ECDIS) is a computer-based navigation information system that complies with International Maritime Organization (IMO) regulations and can be used as an alternative to paper nautical charts.} there will not be any symbol representation until the vessel is in range of AIS transmission. Whether the AIS transmission is integrated with the ECDIS or not, it may be necessary to indicate to the user the existence of an AIS target for both planning and passage mode use."
 
My biggest concern is that AIS is not secure and was never designed to be secure. It is fairly straightforward for a hacker to broadcast a false AIS signal and potentially add in new "aids to navigation". So IMHO before AIS is used to replace any physical aids and or to supplement physical aids, the USCG needs to work with industry to design a secure system that can be used well into the future. Obviously, this will take time but we'll be better off in the long run.
 
Yes, they can broad cast on AIS, but who/what is going to receive it and how? Another newer radio. bubble pop-ups on the plotter screen, seems like they are looking to outclass the average boater who at this point is mostly a long way from even the basic AIS receiver as is.

Harvey
SleepyC :moon
 
hardee":1knuuzq7 said:
Yes, they can broad cast on AIS, but who/what is going to receive it and how? Another newer radio. bubble pop-ups on the plotter screen, seems like they are looking to outclass the average boater who at this point is mostly a long way from even the basic AIS receiver as is.

Harvey
SleepyC :moon
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My guess is that they are first and foremost interested in helping the shipping industry and additional aids to navigation might be quite useful for them. However, AIS is becoming more commonly employed by recreational boaters. For example, with my GX2150 I receive but don't transmit. I have the radio hooked to the Lowrance chart plotter and everything rec'd over AIS displays there. Now that I have it, I wouldn't want to live without it. As prices continue to drop, it will soon be standard equipment and I anticipate it will be integrated into newer chart plotters directly.
 
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