The development of IP (Internet Protocol)
The need for ships, shipping companies, port operators and other stake holders to exchange information in large volumes and quickly has exploded. Growth in data transmission volume and the types of data being exchanged has increased demand for bandwidth in the maritime sector. While Internet Protocol (IP) systems have been around for a while they have typically been costly and had significant data volume limits in the maritime domain. With the increase of low orbit satellites and 4/5G cellular tower coverage seaward the cost and data volume limitations have significantly reduced making it a preferred mechanism for the exchange of multiple data types in high volumes via the one system. The increased use of IP systems also requires the addition and ongoing management of robust cybersecurity measures to ensure the safety of ships and ports.
Cellular networks are important for maritime communication in coastal areas. When a vessel is in the range of a cell tower, the crew or onboard systems can:
- access the internet
- make voice calls
- send text messages
- transmit data.
There are initiatives focussed on providing maritime information via Internet Protocol (IP). This can be through public-facing web portals or via standardised web services.
An experimental version of LTE for the maritime domain (LTE-maritime) can also deliver coverage up to 100km from the coast1.
Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellites are an emerging technology for providing worldwide connectivity. Due to their low orbit, they can provide high-speed and low-latency internet connectivity.
They are useful for applications that communicate in real-time. They are also useful for Maritime Services that must send large amounts of data. Most other terrestrial communication links are not feasible for ship-to-shore communication.
VHF data exchange system (VDES)
VDES is a standard that integrates the Automatic Identification System (AIS) with VHF Data Exchange (VDE).
VDES uses a combination of satellites and terrestrial base stations to exchange data. It has increased bandwidth when compared to traditional AIS but less than IP networks.
Currently there is no global satellite coverage and limited VHF sites. VDES may be capable of supporting different data types in the future but is only approved by the International Maritime Organisation for the exchange of AIS data. There is potential for VDES AIS to provide authentication between ships and shore stations which the current AIS can't do.
1. LTE-Maritime: High-Speed Maritime Wirelesscomm Communication Based on LTE Technology | IEEE Journals & Magazine | IEEE Xplore