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AIS FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

1. What is AIS?

2. How do I install, program or register my AIS; and, what is a MMSI?

3. What is the AIS rule and are there alternaties to the rule !or small "usinesses?

#. $o AIS %lass & dei'es meet 'urrent (S%) AIS 'arriage re*uirements? What are the di!!eren'es"etween AIS %lass A and %lass & dei'es?

+. How does AIS help to in'rease se'urity and what is -AIS?

/. When must AIS "e in operation?

0. $oes the installation o! the AIS re*uire additional e*uipment in order !or the AIS to operateproperly?

. Will it "e ne'essary to hae ele'troni' naigational 'harts !or use with the AIS?

. Are !ishing essels su"e't to AIS 'arriage, and, are on"oard 4essel Monitoring Systems 4MS ana''epta"le su"stitute !or AIS?

15. Why hae some AIS units stopped "road'asting alid position reports?

11. Why am I una"le to see an AIS essels6 name or other stati' in!ormation dimensions, 'all sign,et'.?

12. Why do I sometimes see more than one essel with the same MMSI or essel name i.e. -A(7?

13. I ust pur'hased and installed an AIS %lass &, will AIS %lass A user 8see9 me?

1#. What are the di!!eren'es "etween AIS %lass A and & dei'es?

1+. Is the (S%) 'onsidering e:panding AIS 'arriage to other essels or outside o! 47S areas?

1/. How 'an I get a 'opy o! an AIS presentation I saw or heard a"out it that was gien at...

10. Where 'an I get AIS data?

1. esered !or !uture use.

1. What is AIS %hannel Management?

25. %an I use my AIS in an emergen'y or !or distress messaging?

21. Is the %oast )uard "road'asting AIS Aids to -aigation eports?

22. Hae an AIS *uestion not answered here?

1. What is AIS?1/#.#/a,AIS is a maritime naigation sa!ety 'ommuni'ations systemstandardied "y the International 7ele'ommuni'ation (nion I7( and adopted "y the International Maritime

http://www.navcen.uscg.gov/?pageName=AISFAQ#1http://www.navcen.uscg.gov/?pageName=AISFAQ#2http://www.navcen.uscg.gov/?pageName=AISFAQ#3http://www.navcen.uscg.gov/?pageName=AISFAQ#4http://www.navcen.uscg.gov/?pageName=AISFAQ#4http://www.navcen.uscg.gov/?pageName=AISFAQ#5http://www.navcen.uscg.gov/?pageName=AISFAQ#6http://www.navcen.uscg.gov/?pageName=AISFAQ#7http://www.navcen.uscg.gov/?pageName=AISFAQ#7http://www.navcen.uscg.gov/?pageName=AISFAQ#8http://www.navcen.uscg.gov/?pageName=AISFAQ#9http://www.navcen.uscg.gov/?pageName=AISFAQ#9http://www.navcen.uscg.gov/?pageName=AISFAQ#10http://www.navcen.uscg.gov/?pageName=AISFAQ#11http://www.navcen.uscg.gov/?pageName=AISFAQ#11http://www.navcen.uscg.gov/?pageName=AISFAQ#12http://www.navcen.uscg.gov/?pageName=AISFAQ#13http://www.navcen.uscg.gov/?pageName=AISFAQ#14http://www.navcen.uscg.gov/?pageName=AISFAQ#15http://www.navcen.uscg.gov/?pageName=AISFAQ#16http://www.navcen.uscg.gov/?pageName=AISFAQ#17http://www.navcen.uscg.gov/?pageName=AISFAQ#19http://www.navcen.uscg.gov/?pageName=AISFAQ#20http://www.navcen.uscg.gov/?pageName=AISFAQ#21http://www.navcen.uscg.gov/?pageName=contactUs&Subject=AIShttp://www.navcen.uscg.gov/?pageName=AISRequirementsRev#AIShttp://www.navcen.uscg.gov/?pageName=AISRequirementsRev#AIShttp://www.navcen.uscg.gov/?pageName=AISFAQ#2http://www.navcen.uscg.gov/?pageName=AISFAQ#3http://www.navcen.uscg.gov/?pageName=AISFAQ#4http://www.navcen.uscg.gov/?pageName=AISFAQ#4http://www.navcen.uscg.gov/?pageName=AISFAQ#5http://www.navcen.uscg.gov/?pageName=AISFAQ#6http://www.navcen.uscg.gov/?pageName=AISFAQ#7http://www.navcen.uscg.gov/?pageName=AISFAQ#7http://www.navcen.uscg.gov/?pageName=AISFAQ#8http://www.navcen.uscg.gov/?pageName=AISFAQ#9http://www.navcen.uscg.gov/?pageName=AISFAQ#9http://www.navcen.uscg.gov/?pageName=AISFAQ#10http://www.navcen.uscg.gov/?pageName=AISFAQ#11http://www.navcen.uscg.gov/?pageName=AISFAQ#11http://www.navcen.uscg.gov/?pageName=AISFAQ#12http://www.navcen.uscg.gov/?pageName=AISFAQ#13http://www.navcen.uscg.gov/?pageName=AISFAQ#14http://www.navcen.uscg.gov/?pageName=AISFAQ#15http://www.navcen.uscg.gov/?pageName=AISFAQ#16http://www.navcen.uscg.gov/?pageName=AISFAQ#17http://www.navcen.uscg.gov/?pageName=AISFAQ#19http://www.navcen.uscg.gov/?pageName=AISFAQ#20http://www.navcen.uscg.gov/?pageName=AISFAQ#21http://www.navcen.uscg.gov/?pageName=contactUs&Subject=AIShttp://www.navcen.uscg.gov/?pageName=AISRequirementsRev#AIShttp://www.navcen.uscg.gov/?pageName=AISFAQ#1

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@rganiation IM@ that proides essel in!ormation, in'luding the essel6s identity, type, position, 'ourse,speed, naigational status and other sa!etyrelated in!ormation automati'ally to appropriately e*uippedshore stations, other ships, and air'ra!t; re'eies automati'ally su'h in!ormation !rom similarly !itted ships;monitors and tra'Bs ships; and e:'hanges data with shore"ased !a'ilities. ead moreon what it is, how itworBs, what it "road'asts, and, the messages it uses, et'.

2. How do I insta! "#o$#a% o# #&$ist %' AIS( and! what is a ))SI?AIS dei'es should "e installed

taBing into 'onsideration the guidelines deeloped "y the International Maritime @rganiation IM@ Sa!ety o!-aigation %ir'ular.220, )(I$CDI-CS =@ 7HC I-S7ADDA7I@- @= A SHI1/#.#/d. =ailure to do so 'ould

su"e't a person to 'iil penalties not to e:'eed F2+,555 #/ (.S.%. 0511.

*. What is th& AIS #+& and a#& th& atnati,&s to th& #+& -o# s%a +sin&ss&s?7he (.S. %oast)uard has deeloped rules appli'a"le to "oth (.S. and !oreign!lag essels that re*uire owners andoperators o! most 'ommer'ial essels operating on (.S. naiga"le waters to "e out!itted with an Automati'Identi!i'ation System AIS. 7hese rules are part o! our domesti' and international e!!ort to in'rease these'urity and sa!ety o! maritime transportation. Initial AIS rules "e'ame e!!e'tie on Guly 1st, 2553 / =/5++ and were su"se*uently amended on Ganuary 35th, 251+ 5 = +21, so as to re*uire that allessels denoted33 %= > 1/#.#/d"e out!itted with an (S%) typeapproed and properly installedoperational AIS no later than Mar'h 1st, 251/.typeapproed and properly installed, operational AIS no laterthan Mar'h 1st, 251/. 7here are no alternaties to this rule, howeer, many small "usiness may meet the'arriage re*uirement "y pur'hasing a lower 'ost AIS %lass & dei'e in lieu o! a %lass A. See ourSmallCntity %omplian'e )uide to AISand our AIS =A# "elow !or !urther in!ormation.

/. Do AIS 0ass d&,i&s %&&t +##&nt US03 AIS a##ia$& #&4+i#&%&nts? What a#& th& di--&n&s&tw&&n AIS 0ass A d&,i&s and 0ass d&,i&s?? Ees, a small segment o! mandatory AIS userssee 33 %= > 1/#.#/"2 'an use a %oast )uard typeapproed AIS %lass & dei'e in lieu o! a %lass Adei'eJAIS %lass A s & 'omparison.-ote, (.S. AIS 'arriage re*uirements 'an only "e met "y (S%)typeapproed e*uipment whi'h displays a (S%) 1/+.1++K1+/ Approal -um"er. A listing o! all (S%)typeapproed e*uipment 'an "e !ound at the%oast )uard Maritime In!ormation C:'hange%)MILCDist Sear'h, Sele'tN Approal Series -ameShip"orne AISO. 4oluntary AIS users may aailthemseles o! either a AIS %lass A or & dei'e, "ut, su'h dei'e must "e =%% 'erti!ied !or its use in the(nited States. =or a listing o! =%% 'erti!ied AIS e*uipment use the=%% @C7 C*uipment AuthoriationSear'h =ormSele'tN C*uipment %lassAIS.

5. How do&s AIS h&" to in#&as& s&+#it' 6and what is NAIS7?Although AIS is primarily and !oremost anaigation tool !or 'ollision aoidan'e, the %oast )uard "eliees that the AIS will improe se'urity also. AISand our -ationwide AIS

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!rom essels using the same MMSI, they will appear as one essel umping !rom positiontoposition or linetoline on a graphi'al s'reen e.g. C%S, C%$IS, radar or on the AIS Minimal ey"oard $ei'e M$.

1*. I 152 o! the Maritime 7ransportationSe'urity A't o! 2552. 7he do'Bet 'ontaining 'omments su"mitted, supporting do'uments, and the regulatoryanalysisto this and our proposed rulemaBing 03 = 0/2+'an "e !ound atwww.regulations.goSear'hN(S%)255+21/O. See printer!riendly

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19. Wh& an I $&t AIS data?Although the (.S. %oast )uard operates our -ation6s AIS networB -AIS,we do not 'urrently maBe our AIS in!ormation aaila"le to the general pu"li'. 7here are, howeer,numerous AIS networBs and 'ommer'ial pureyors that do proide AIS data and tra'B in!ormation on theWorld Wide We"; many o! whi'h are listed on WiBipedia6s AIS we"page.Do'al, state and !ederalgoernment agen'ies may re*uest (.S. %oast )uard -ationwide AIS data here.

1:. R&s,&d -o# -+t+#& +s&.

1;. What is AIS 0hann& )ana$&%&nt?@ne o! the lesser Bnown and potent !eatures o! AIS is its a"ility tooperate on multiple 'hannels o! the 4H==M marine "and. 7his !re*uen'y agility ensures AIS 'an "e usedeen when the de!ault 'hannels are otherwise unaaila"le or 'ompromised. In su'h 'onditions, 'ompetentauthorities, su'h as the %oast )uard, 'an use an AIS "ase station to tele'ommand ship"orne AIS dei'esto other more appropriate 'hannels when within a de!ined regions o! 255 to 2555 s*uare nauti'al miles.7his 'an "e done automati'ally and without user interention "y re'eipt o! the AIS 'hannel managementmessage AIS message 22 or manually entered ia the AIS Minimal ey"oard $isplay M$ or similarinput dei'e. @n'e 'ommanded or inputted the 'hannels management in!ormation will stay in memory !or +weeBs or until a essel e:'eed +55 nauti'al miles !rom the de!ined region. AIS 'hannel management'ommands 'an only "e automati'ally oerridden ia another 'hannel management message !or the samede!ined region or manually oerridden or erased "y the user ia the unit9s 'hannel regional !re*uen'iesmanagement !un'tionJread more. -ote, reinitialiing or resetting your AIS or transmission 'hannels will notne'essarily reprogram your unit "a'B to de!ault 'hannels.

2>. 0an I +s& %' AIS in an &%$&n' o# -o# dist#&ss %&ssa$in$?Although not prohi"ited see 33 %=> 1/#.#/d3, "e aware that AIS sa!ety related te:t messages are not 'urrently monitored or a'ted uponas )lo"al Maritime $istress Sa!ety Systems )M$SS alert messages "y the %oast )uard or other maritimesear'h and res'ue authorities. 7here!ore, AIS should not "e relied upon as the primary means !or"road'asting distress or urgent 'ommuni'ations, nor used in lieu o! )M$SS su'h as $igital Sele'tie%alling radios whi'h are designed to pro'ess distress messaging. -onetheless, AIS remains an e!!e'tiemeans to augment )M$SS and proides the added "ene!it o! "eing seen on radar or 'hart displays, inaddition to "eing heard ia AIS te:t messaging "y other AIS users within 4H= radio range. =or !urtherguidan'e, see(S%) Sa!ety Alert +15.Also, see the International Maritime @rganiation9s%@MSA %ir'ular #/,(SC @= AIS SA=C7ECDA7C$ MCSSA)I-) I- $IS7CSS SI7(A7I@-S.

21. Is th& 0oast 3+a#d #oadastin$ AIS Aids to Na,i$ation R&"o#ts? Ees. 7he (.S. %oast )uard andother authoried agen'ies and organiations i.e., (.S. Army %orps o! Cngineers, -ational @'eani' andAtmospheri' Administration, Marine C:'hange o! AlasBa are transmittingAIS A7@- eportsand marine

sa!ety in!ormation ia AIS see our Spe'ial -oti'e 51251#. 7he e:a't 'ontent, lo'ation, and times o! thesetransmissions will "e announ'ed in the %oast )uard Do'al -oti'es to Mariners D-Mand denoted in %oast)uardDight Dist.

-ote, AIS Ato- 'an autonomously and at !i:ed interals "road'ast the name, position, dimensions, type,'hara'teristi's and status !rom or 'on'erning an aid to naigation. AIS Ato- 'an "e either physi'alphysi'ally !itted to the Ato-, syntheti' physi'ally !itted somewhere other than to the Ato- or irtualphysi'ally none:istent, "ut 'apa"le o! "eing portrayed on AIS'apa"le displays. AIS Ato- 'an also "e usedto "road'ast "oth laterally e.g.,