Marine Traffic

[10B]

I have downloaded an app called Marine Traffic, it shows Marine movements all around the world. When tapped on information of the vessel are shown and many have photo's of the vessel.

I would imagine that the vessels info is transmitted when they turn on their navigation equipment?

The part that stood out to me is that it gives the vessel's speed.

At present there is one boat showing within The Broads network and is currently moored at Oulton Broad.

Earlier there was one at Brundall but now gone off.

What if the BA had this app on their patrol boats, it could show some interesting reading to them.

Anybody know any info about this app, I.e. How do they get the photo's.

[Baitrunner]

Many years ago I visited the PLA (Port of London) control centre at Dartford and this information has been available to them for well over 20yrs now.

 

My understanding is all commercial vessels have to be registered and the picture is probably uploaded at that point in time. Everything else about the vessel - length, draft etc, etc is also registered along with details of cargo being carried - if you saw how much high explosives get moved about you would be shocked! This is used by the port controllers to keep dangerous cargoes away from other vessels if possible.

 

All this used to be linked to their radar screen so that as a vessel came into their control zone it was tagged and monitored. A bit like you see on air traffic control screens. I would assume that the vessels nowadays might even have to broadcast a radio signal to indicate who they are.

 

I cant see how they would get up to the minute pictures streaming through unless there were cameras in harbours etc, but in the open sea?  Even the great Google doesn't do this (yet). As you say, how do they do it? Interesting if you could post the web link.

 

If you ever get a chance to visit a port control centre I would recommend it.

[10B]

Baitrunner, the pictures are not live they are photo's that have been taken by what seems to be their staff.

I know that this system has been available for years, but now anybody can download it.

Watch your speed if you have one of these systems, I will be sitting in my armchair watching you, but not if Coronation Street is on!

[10B]

Sorry, it's called Marine Traffic Ships and Wind.

[Mirage]

We used this app as part of our safety preparations for TC's trip to Ipswich with Broad Ambition last year. Given that our max. speed was 10ish mph with the tide, it was useful to see how far way and the speed and direction of some of these sea going monsters, especially as we entered Felixstowe and had one catching us up quite quickly, and they almost certainly were unable to see us. Had we needed to we could have contacted the vessel on VHF and been able to set our course to avoid a collision. However there are very clear lanes in the Harwich area which define where us little boats go, and they are well away from the main big ships channel.

 

Overall a very handy app for anyone going on the rough stuff. (oops… I hope we are allowed to mention the "sea" word on here )

 

Simon

[Baitrunner]

Yeah just looked at it - quite good that Joe public can get this info now!! Or is it?

 

Good job I don't have the AIS hooked up!! If you look you can see a few private boats (no doubt SSR registered) up on the Southern Broads - I would expect the odd very expensive boat has got this enabled.

[diesel falcon]

http://www.marinetraffic.com/ais/home?level0=100

 

We use this to keep an eye on quo vadis   most of the time they just draw circles on it!!

[donnygeoff]

just used Trevs link, and one on Oulton is called ISIS...

 

Bet that causes a stir when wanting bridge openings

 

[LondonRascal]

AIS (Automatic Identification System ) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Automatic_Identification_System

The International Maritime Organization's International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea requires AIS to be fitted aboard international voyaging ships of 300 or more gross tonnes and all passenger ships regardless of size.

 

You can get the kit online pretty easily and I guess it is not too expensive - though if you are not going to venture out to sea much there is little point in doing so.  What you can do is use an App on your tablet or smart phone that does the job pretty well to transmit your boats details using the GPS system of the tablet/phone and cellular connection to then send the same to a web server which then sends such on to shore based stations or satellites and amalgamates all the data be it from AIS systems and transponders on ships or just App users. 

 

Of course no phone signal for a connection to the internet and you loose all the information from boats around you and your ability to transmit your information, further because it is not a standalone AIS unit it would never be as accurate or show data as quickly.

 

So let us pretend that the Broads Authority suddenly said in the next 12 months all coats private or hire over 20 feet in length must have AIS fitted and while a boat is underway it must transmit such data such as location, speed and boat name.  Well leave aside cost - you can just image how people would go Bananas over privacy that any Tom, D**k or Edward  could see where the boat was, how fast it was going where it had been and where it was heading pretty much in real time.  Even if there was some special 'encrypted' version only the Broads Authority had access to it would be far too big brother - imagine you return home and a week later you get a fine on the door mat 'Broad Pug Wash you were monitored on the River Bure through Horning at 4.2 MPH'.

 

No, I think this tech serves as a very useful system at sea, where modern navigation electronics can now overlay real time Radar images, Satellite images and AIS positions into a very clear to read graphical representation of what is around you.  If you were going to sea a few times a year, it would prove invaluable to have being able to know (within reason) what was out there where it was going to and from and on what course - then back up such data with your real time radar returns and then know what action to take, many auto pilots now can 'plug into' such systems and they can automate course changes to keep you out of trouble if your too busy sipping the bubbly and not taking notice of what is about.

 

Finally (yep I get there in the end folks) you might like to while away a few hours as I do having AIS information over a Google Map while listening into Portsmouth VTS.  Thereby being able to hear a vessel call for the Pilots, and track the pilots boat to the vessel and so on.

 

Go to click here for the live radio feeds and cick here for the map (much nicer than Marine Traffic no adverts!)

 

Happy ship spotting

[LondonRascal]

" So let us pretend that the Broads Authority suddenly said in the next 12 months all coats private or hire over 20 feet in length must have AIS fitted"

 

It has been drawn to my attention that I made a typo - thanks Maxwellian

 

However the above would never work anyway,  there would be too many loose threads to tie up anyway

[10B]

Robin, it's not pretend, how many boats moored on the Broads are fitted with this equipment ?

At the moment only one boat can be seen but wait till a bank holiday and see how many, Brundall will be full of dots.

[grendel]

having watched MTB102 heading down the coast earlier this year, and then texting Griff to tell him she had vanished off the track (until they turned the system back on) I was also able to spot the spurious appearance of Broad Ambition just as they came to Tower Bridge, just for a moment.

Grendel

[BroadAmbition]

You did too, that's coz our Howard briefly turned the app on as 'B.A' is registered with his mobile phone

 

Griff

[LondonRascal]

I would have no problem with such being used to track peoples boats so you could see how many were at Ranworth Staithe before you arrived as an example. And of course as it is at the moment it’s a person’s choice to use it – I suspect some of our seafaring friends automatically have their AIS come online when they ‘start up systems’ be that for a trip to Southwold or to Bramerton Common it will show their position.

 

Of course it would only work as a way to help police the rivers and to give information to other boaters (like number of boats moored) if everyone had such a system and the only way that would work is if it was a compulsory item and the moment you go down that route you’d have people up in arms about it on the grounds of being tracked – without choice and seen by others.

 

Now a system which would work as well and probably cost less would be an idea of mine to have boats fitted with RF tags and moorings to also have the same. 

 

My idea I have raised before would be to use such as a charging system with funds raised to provide water, refuse collection and electricity at all formal BA moorings.  But remove that portion and the only people who would have data would be the Broads Authority, and it would not track where boats were unless moored at a BA mooring so a lot less data is being gathered.

[Baitrunner]

Anyone got a mobile phone? Think you cant be tracked?  

 

I think some parts on the North might just look like a big coloured blob come the summer

 

Mind you if we could use it to track who had beer/wine on board? Now that would be useful