Publicly available data helps monitor ship traffic to avoid disruption of undersea internet cables, identify whale strikes, and study the footprint of

These stunning images trace ships’ routes as they move

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2024-12-25 14:30:04

Publicly available data helps monitor ship traffic to avoid disruption of undersea internet cables, identify whale strikes, and study the footprint of underwater noise.

As we run, drive, bike, and fly, we leave behind telltale marks of our movements on Earth—if you know where to look. Physical tracks, thermal signatures, and chemical traces can reveal where we’ve been. But another type of trail we leave comes from the radio signals emitted by the cars, planes, trains, and boats we use.

On airplanes, technology called ADS-B (Automatic Dependent Surveillance–Broadcast) provides real-time location, identification, speed, and orientation data. For ships at sea, that function is performed by the AIS (Automatic Identification System).

Operating at 161.975 and 162.025 megahertz, AIS transmitters broadcast a ship’s identification number, name, call sign, length and beam, type, and antenna location every six minutes. Ship location, position time stamp, and direction are transmitted more frequently. The primary purpose of AIS is maritime safety—it helps prevent collisions, assists in rescues, and provides insight into the impact of ship traffic on marine life. US Coast Guard regulations say that generally, private boats under 65 feet in length are not required to use AIS, but most commercial vessels are. Unlike ADS-B in planes, AIS can be turned off only in rare circumstances.

A variety of sectors use AIS data for many different applications, including monitoring ship traffic to avoid disruption of undersea internet cables, identifying whale strikes, and studying the footprint of underwater noise.