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AIS, or Automatic Identification System, is a device that enables boats to communicate with each other and with coastal stations, using radio signals on VHF frequencies. It transmits essential information on the identity, position, speed and course of vessels, facilitating collision avoidance at sea and real-time fleet tracking.
AIS is compulsory for commercial, passenger and fishing vessels over 12 meters, but it is also used by yachtsmen who want to sail in complete safety. Thanks to a dedicated screen or even a simple smartphone, they can view the maritime traffic around them and call other boats directly by VHF radio. AIS can also be used to locate a crew member who has fallen overboard, report the laying of a net, or track a skipper's position on the Internet.
