Establishing a Reginal AIS Applicatin Specific Message Register Dr. Lee Alexander and Dr. Kurt Schwehr, University f New Hampshire, USA; and Rlf Zetterberg, Swedish Maritime Administratin, Sweden ABSTRACT The gal f the Reginal AIS Applicatin Specific Message Register is t prvide awareness f what applicatins exist, facilitate harmnizatin, and prmte prper binary messaging fr reginal applicatins. T be hsted n the IALA website, establishing the Register will be a 3-step prcess: 1) Cmpile all existing AIS binaries int a cllectin. 2) Cnvert the cllectin int a Register. 3) Develp IALA guidance n best practices fr creating and using AIS Binary Messages. Recmmendatins are prvided in regard t: - Benefit f a web-based HTML user interface fr input/utput. - Use f XML t rganize/frmat register applicatins in a cnsistent manner. - Having the cllectin/registratin becme a lp prcess. - Cnfrming t ISO standards t rganize and manage the Register. - Benefit f a jint IMO-IALA register fr bth internatinal and reginal applicatins. RÉSUMÉ Le but du registre des messages spécifiques des applicatins réginales AIS est d infrmer sur les applicatins existantes, de faciliter l harmnisatin, et de prmuvir l adéquatin des messages binaires aux applicatins réginales. Afin d être accueilli sur le site web de l AISM, la cnstitutin du Registre se fera en tris étapes : 1) La cmpilatin de tus les (messages) binaires de l AIS en une «cllectin». 2) La cnversin de la «cllectin» en un Registre. 3) Le dévelppement d un guide de l AISM sur les meilleures pratiques pur la créatin et l utilisatin des messages binaires de l AIS. Des recmmandatins snt frmulées en ce qui cncerne: - L avantage de l utilisatin d une interface «web-based» HTML pur l entrée/srtie. - L utilisatin de l XML pur rganiser/frmater les applicatins du registre de manière chérente. - La transfrmatin de la cllectin/registratin en prcessus en «bucle» - La cnfrmité aux nrmes ISO pur rganiser et gérer le Registre. - L avantage d un registre cmmun à l OMI et l AISM pur les applicatins internatinales et réginales. Page 108
INTRODUCTION AIS was riginally develped as a means fr psitive identificatin and tracking f vessels. This is accmplished by transmitting and receiving static, dynamic, and vyage-related data abut ships, as well as shrt safety-related messages. AIS is beneficial t the safety-fnavigatin and prtectin f the envirnment by mnitring the maritime traffic and by prviding varius basic services. In additin, AIS can be used t transmit Applicatin- Specific Messages in binary frmat fr certain types f critical navigatin safety-related infrmatin. Hwever, t avid AIS system verlad (i.e., n the VHF Data Link), the number f Applicatin-specific messages and the frequency f transmissin shuld be limited s as t nt impair the main functins f AIS. Recmmendatin ITU-R M.1371 specifies the technical characteristic and the structure f the Applicatin-Specific Messages, while IMO SN/Circ. 236 defines the data cntent f 7 trial messages. At IMO NAV55, a new SN Circular (NAV55/21/Add.1) was drafted that greatly expands the scpe and cntent f AIS Applicatin Specific Messages intended fr internatinal use. ITU-R M.1371-3, Annex 5 gives guidance fr the design f the applicatin specific part f the binary message, including bth Internatinal and Reginal applicatins. Fr Internatinal Applicatin (IA) specific messages, several criteria apply: - The messages shall prvide infrmatin that enhances: the safety-f-life at sea, safety and efficiency f navigatin, and prtectin f the marine envirnment. - The use f the message shall lead t peratinal benefits. - The infrmatin prvided is capable f being effectively and usefully displayed by an apprpriate user interface. In many respects, these criteria shuld als apply t reginal applicatins. Further, this shuld encurage the further develpment f reginal messages in additin t thse that are internatinally agreed. ESTABLISHING A REGIONAL AIS APPLICATION SPECIFIC MESSAGE REGISTER At the 1 st Meeting f the IALA e-navigatin Cmmittee (IALA enav1), it was agreed that IALA will maintain a register f reginal applicatins fr AIS Applicatin Specific Messages (i.e., binary messages). The intent is t prvide infrmatin t all interested parties f what currently exists and/r is in use. In this way, IALA Members and ther Natinal Aids-t- Navigatin Authrities can make use f existing applicatins, and avid develping new messages with nly minr/marginal differences. At IALA enav6, it was agreed that establishing the Register shuld be a tw-phase prcess: 1 st - Cmpile all existing AIS binaries int a cllectin (i.e., a cmpilatin r catalgue). 2 nd - Cnvert the cllectin int a Register. Once cmpleted, a lgical third phase wuld be t develp IALA guidance n best practices fr creating and using AIS Applicatin Specific Messages. Page 109
COLLECTION REGISTER PROCESS As described n the IALA external website [http://www.iala-aism.rg/(services ffered AIS binary messages)], the initial cllectin will be perfrmed as a tw-step prcess: 1. Registrants (i.e., Maritime Administratins) are requested t cmplete a Submissin Frm fr each AIS Binary Applicatin-Specific Message that is in use. 9 Once cmpleted the frms are t be sent t: Kurt Schwehr (kurt@ccm.unh.edu) Lee Alexander (leealex@ccm.unh.edu) 2. In supprt f IALA, the Submissin Frms are being cllected and cmpiled by the Center fr Castal and Ocean Mapping at the University f New Hampshire. The Cllectin f Reginal Applicatins fr AIS Binary Messages may be viewed at: http://vislab-ccm.unh.edu/~schwehr/ais/cllectin/ It shuld be pinted ut that this initial cllectin shuld nt be cnsidered an endrsement f any submitted applicatin-specific message. Further, the initial cllectin is nt an authrity fr any Designated Area Cde (DAC) r Functin Identifier (FI) cmbinatins. 10 As f January 2010, n Submissin Frms have been submitted by any Maritime Administratin. While the initial cllectin prcess has been established, n frms have been received. As such, n cmpilatin has ccurred. It is hped that this situatin is nly temprary. Once the cllectin prcess begins, tw further enhancements culd be perfrmed. 1) Use f XML fr structure/frmatting. While the cntent wuld be based n SN/Circ 236 and/r the new SN/Circular, there wuld be mre specifics n units f measure, data fields, parameters, etc. Key benefits f using XML include: - structures/rganizes prper submissin (bth in cntent and frmat) - ensures cnsistent units and message definitins - maintains a unifrm, structured frmat capable f being viewed, dwnladed and used, directly - single, ne-stp listing/surce fr all reginal binary applicatins In additin, an XML tl culd be develped with graphical user interface t actually create the binary message. The result wuld be utput that is bth human and machine readable. 2) Have the binary message registratin prcess becme a lp prcess (see Figure 1). 9 In Annex 1 is a cpy f the Submissin Frm. In Annex 2 is an example f a cmpleted frm. 10 AIS applicatin specific messages cnsist f the Standard AIS ITU-R M1371 framewrk (message ID, repeat indicatr, surce ID, destinatin ID), the Applicatin Identifier (AI = DAC + FI) and the data cntent (variable length up t a given maximum). The 16-bit applicatin identifier (AI = DAC + FI) cnsists f: 10-bit designated area cde (DAC): internatinal (DAC = 1) r reginal (DAC > 1), 6-bit functin identifier (FI) allws fr 64 unique applicatin specific messages. Page 110
Initial Submissin Check current Listings Submit required data N Is the binary applicatin already listed? Yes Ntificatin t the Submitter that the applicatin is cllected Cllectin Cmpile cllectin. Identify ptential best practices; include Recmmendatins Figure 1 Recmmended prcess fr submissin and cmpilatin fr Reginal AIS Applicatin Specific Message Cllectin. REGISTER MANAGEMENT Similar t what is planned fr the IMO AIS Applicatin-Specific Message Catalgue and the IHO Gespatial Infrmatin Infrastructure Registry, the IALA Reginal AIS Applicatin Specific Register shuld be rganized and managed based n guidance cntained in ISO Standard 19135. Establishing the necessary peratinal management and versight wuld benefit all thse wh create, bradcast, and use AIS Binary Messages. Tw key things need t ccur: 1) Establish specific prcedures regarding prper submissin f prpsals, reviewing/accepting prpsals, and access t the database. 2) Define the rles and respnsibilities f the Register Owner, Register Manager, Cntrl Bdy, Submitting Organizatins, and Prpsers. 11 11 Annex 3 cntains a cpy f the Recmmended Organizatin, Structure and Management f the IMO AIS Applicatin Specific Message Catalgue that was agreed t at IMO NAV55 (NAV55/WP.6). Assuming that IALA takes a similar apprach, the fllwing table prvides a cmparisn f the likely rganizatinal structures. Page 111
Internatinal Reginal Register Owner IMO IALA Register Manager Maritime Safety Divisin e-navigatin Cmmittee Cntrl Bdy Sub-Cm n Safety f Nav (NAV) AIS Technical WG Submitting Organizatins IMO Member Gvernments UN specialized agencies Inter-gvernmental rganizatins NGIOS IALA Member Administratins [thers?] Prpsers All interested stakehlders All interested stakehlders POSSIBILITY OF A JOINT IMO - IALA REGISTER If bth IMO and IALA perate similar Registers -- ne fr Internatinal Applicatins and the ther fr Reginal Applicatins -- then it wuld be lgical t jintly manage bth Registers, tgether. Sme ptential benefits wuld include: - Bth reginal and internatinal registers are at ne lcatin - Better crdinatin between tw rganizatins (IMO and IALA) - Mre efficient peratin and management - Uses a similar apprach t Register Owner, Register Manager, Cntrl Bdy, Submitting Organizatins, and Prpsers. - Harmnized prcedures fr submissin, access, change, search parameters (i.e., use similar submissin frms) - Can include best practices and prtrayal examples. - Fr thse reginal applicatins that are widely used, they culd eventually becme internatinal if decided by IMO. LOOKING AHEAD While there is general agreement n the need fr establishing a Reginal AIS Applicatin- Specific Message Cllectin, full benefits can nly realized with the establishment f a cntinually-updated, web-based interactive register that is accessible t all stakehlders. As discussed at e-nav6 (e-nav6/10/20) and e-nav7 (e-nav7/10/6), sme f the challenges and future wrk include: - Hw t encurage IALA Member States t make initial submissins. - Cntinual input and updating is paramunt. - Resurces will be required t maintain and mnitr. - Key prcesses that need t be decided include: Access & Permissins [Open, limited, restricted, by invitatin?] Submissin [Anyne, Members, Administratin nly? Page 112
Tw-step apprach? Submitter may prpse (e.g. FI = XX), Administratin then assigns FI? Search-ability terms, parameters, prpsed/apprved applicatins, DAC, FI, submitters, etc.] Quality Assurance/Checks [Frmat, naming, cnfrmance t standards, etc.] Impacts interactivity (and final csts) Standardizatin f parameters & metrics [Detailed input instructins (1371 Annex 5 guidance), templates, examples, etc.] Apprval, endrsement, certificatin criteria, [If s, by whm?]. All f these issues can be slved. But, it requires a cmmitment t get n with the task. Page 113
ANNEX 1 Cllectin f Reginal Applicatins fr AIS Applicatin-Specific Messages * IALA e-nav6 Cmmittee Meeting AIS Technical WG Submissin Frm 11 March 2009 Registrant (i.e., Maritime Administratin) Name f Applicatin (keep shrt) Type f Binary Message (e.g., msg 6, 8) DAC and FI Used Used by (list rganisatins knwn t be using this binary message) Additinal Infrmatin (include typical applicatins, e.g., AtN mnitring) Hw prtrayed (e.g., text nly, graphical n ECDIS/ECS, etc.) Number f Slts Reprting Rate Date - first used - status Technical Pint-f- Cntact Parameter Name # bits Descriptin [list] Page 114
* The initial cllectin is being perfrmed n behalf f the IALA by the Center fr Castal and Ocean Mapping (CCOM) at the University f New Hampshire. Submit this frm t: Kurt Schwehr (kurt@ccm.unh.edu) Lee Alexander (leealex@ccm.unh.edu) Page 115