Chapter 1

INTRODUCTION

Vessels come in different shapes and sizes and are made to carry a wide variety

of cargoes and ventures to the far corners of the earth’s seas. It carries various goods and

transports people that is why it is always important for vessels to be safe and secure.

Increasing sea traffic has led to several problems both near the ports and at high seas.

Moreover, many accidents and collisions of ships in the past have been a result of lack of

information on the nearby ship and misleading instructions from port authorities. These

incidents have been the main reason for the invention and usage of ship tracking devices.

Automatic Identification System (AIS) is a maritime technical standard

developed by the International Maritime Organisation (IMO). AIS is an advanced radio

innovation which consolidates global positioning system (GPS), very high frequency

(VHF), and information processing technologies to empower the trading of significant

data in an entirely characterized arrangement between various marine elements. The AIS

was created to provide data, to help a vessel's watch-standing officers, and to enable sea

specialists to track and screen vessel developments. AIS coordinates an institutionalized

VHF handset with a situating framework, for example, a GPS recipient, with other

electronic route sensors. The original purpose of AIS was solely collision avoidance but

many other applications have since developed and continued to be developed. However,

although AIS has been obligated to be used by large vessels, there has not yet been an

AIS that is more economically available that can be used by small fishing vessels.

According to Oliveria-Goumas (2010), the common types of accidents that occur to

1
fishing vessels are capsizing, explosion, engine failure, leaking, sinking, collision, and

accidents linked to bad weather. When these accidents occur, it is difficult for authorities

to identify the location of the vessels and these accidents lead to injuries and deaths of

fishermen and individuals. Thus, the need for an AIS that is available for small fishing

vessels to lessen the occurrences of these accidents, for safety and security purposes. A

typical AIS transceiver, a system that can receive and send information to other AIS in

the area, is very costly. This is why smaller vessels and casual seafarers use an AIS

receiver instead which is a cheaper option. An AIS receiver can receive data from other

ships equipped with an AIS but is not capable of transmitting its own information.

Nonetheless, it is still a great alternative to have when seafaring because having an AIS

receiver installed will still give assurance at the seas.

According to Brosnan (2015), AIS is a radio-based equipment that supports safe

navigation and collision avoidance by transferring information about the ship to other

ships and to authorities. Moreover, AIS has been recently recognized as a useful device to

contribute to the fisheries sector. Fishing vessels are not mandated to use the AIS under

the regulation of the International Maritime Organization but large numbers of fishing

vessels use AIS voluntarily as an aid to navigation, and as an operational and safety tool.

Also, the researcher pointed out that although AIS is the least expensive vessel

monitoring system, it still commands a large price that cannot be afforded by regular

fishermen. Brosnan recommends that the use of AIS by fishing vessels should be

maximized and ensure that it can be accessed by those who own fishing vessels (Brosnan,

2015).

2
 Having a navigation system when venturing out at the seas is a must. There are

no known landmarks in the middle of the ocean. When night comes, the visibility of the

surrounding area will be very dark as there are no lights around the sea. Collision with

other fishing vessels can highly occur without the knowledge of where other vessels are.

This study aims to design and develop a low-cost Automatic Identification System that

can receive the ID and the position of the fishing vessels that will be accessible for small-

scale fishermen. The objectives of this study are to construct an AIS receiver capable of

receiving accurate data, specifically the MMSI, and the longitude and latitude distances

of other vessels. Also, to construct an AIS with the lowest possible cost to create an

economical prototype, making it financially available for the fishermen. Finally, to

incorporate an LCD screen to the prototype to make it easier for local fishermen to use as

most AIS receivers rely on text only.

The research study will be significant for the local fishermen because using a

low-cost AIS will assist them in their ventures at the seas as it will help them know their

location as well as other vessels’. The AIS will also track them in case of emergencies.

The study will also help seafarers, because of the possibility that they would not be able

to notice the small fishing vessels. Through the AIS receiver, small fishing vessels can

see the course of larger ships enabling them to avoid a possible collision. Lastly, this

research will also be significant to the economy as it will contribute to the safety of

fishermen, a notable sector in the Philippine economy. The AIS will also be economical

in the sense that it will be low-cost, it will be accessible for local fishermen who cannot

afford the high cost of a normal AIS.

3
 This paper will discuss the functions and applications of an Automatic

Identification System. The mechanics and the significance of an AIS receiver that is more

economically available will also be explored. Furthermore, this paper will only focus on

the development of an AIS that is capable of receiving the ID and the position of a small

fishing vessel for safety and security purposes.

Chapter 2

REVIEW OF LITERATURE

This chapter presents previous literatures that are relevant to the study. Several

data from books, researches, journals, and articles from local and international authors

were thoroughly analyzed and cited by the researchers to provide a concrete background

for this study.

Functions of the Automatic Identification System

Automatic Identification System provides a terrestrial based monitoring system

of suitably equipped ships. This information is collected by both shore stations, other

vessels and nowadays satellites, thus enabling other equipped vessels to be aware of and

identify other vessels in their area. Many additional data, not normally obtainable by

other means, regarding ship characteristics, as well as potential destination and likely

maneuvers can be encoded in the transmitted messages (Bole, Wall, & Norris, 2013).

Maritime Safety

4
 As described by Jorge Arroyo (2011), AIS regulatory project officer for the

Coast Guard, AIS is the most beneficial piece of safety equipment that can be used in

marine today. It is notable for its primary purpose, which is collision avoidance, and it

can also be used as a means for littoral states to obtain information about a ship and its

cargo (Arroyo, 2011). Its data improve maritime safety with less cost compared with

conventional maritime navigation system using human navigator (Mao, et al., 2016).

AIS contributes significantly to the safety of navigation. All the information that

is transmitted and received enhances the effectiveness of navigation and can greatly

improve situational awareness and the decision-making process (Bhattacharjee, 2017). It

was originally designed for collision avoidance but as time passes by, it has become

essential to maritime situational awareness (Papi, Tarchi, Vespe, Oliveri, & Aulicino,

2014). It is an advanced tool that is still being developed and is being used in numerous

applications. It has a remarkable contribution to the increase of safety of passengers,

crews, cargoes, ships and marine environment (Stupak, 2014).

AIS is a system that supplies information regarding needed for tracking vessels

for maritime safety. AIS works by having a Global Positioning System or GPS

coordinates, sending data of location and information with shipping vessels and maritime

authorities by means of radio transmissions. Ship owners and authorities of maritime

benefit greatly from AIS as it supplements them the information needed throughout

voyages (Trend Micro Corporation, 2016). It broadcasts high-speed, automatic, and

granular information from the activity of vessels at sea. It is a very high frequency (VHF)

radio broadcasting system that enables AIS equipped vessels and shore-based stations to

send and receive static), dynamic, and voyage information (Cabrera, Molina, & Arana,

5
2016). Kerbiriou, Lévêque, Rajabi, and Serry (2017) added that AIS is used as a tool to

ensure safety in navigation and to increase the flow of productiveness in vessel traffic

management. AIS raises the degree of safety of the vessels at sea and guarantees them

security in their ventures. Although AIS is open to some difficulties such as data

manipulation, its contribution still is undeniably vital to the maritime field. AIS is multi-

scaled, multi-purposed, multi-used, identification system that brings a wealth of

opportunities for theoretical developments (Kerbiriou, Lévêque, Rajabi, & Serry, 2017).

Maritime Security

AIS can transmit the position of the ship by Class A and B AIS and can ensure

ships with other equipped AIS can see other ships. AIS can also detect unauthorized

vessel movements. It tracks vessel movement by means of electronic exchange of

navigation data between vessels, with onboard transceiver, terrestrial, and/or satellite base

stations (Tu, Zhang, Rachmawati, Rajabally, & Huang, 2017). It can be used to manage

ports, allow easy identification, control, and conduct of vessels. Furthermore, it can save

coastal lives by fusing both AIS and radar technology to create effective and efficient

coastal tracking, surveillance and safety systems (Raymarine, 2018).

Behind the obligatory use of vessel identification system wherein the legislators,

the authorities intended to control the fishing of vessels and detecting for potential

threats. The Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) fishing mitigates the following

violation that a fishing vessel such as; fish stocks, destroys marine habitats and distorts

competition (Hu, 2016). The Coastal States agreed to the AIS carriage requirements for

RFMOs. The infusion of automatic identification system (AIS) and vessel monitoring

6
systems (VMS) strengthens the vessel tracking monitoring system which minimizes data

tampering while on the water activity while increasing the transparency and reliability of

information to fisheries authority awareness. The AIS carriage is not a mandatory

requirement for RFMO, however, a documentation from the national authorities and

North Pacific Anadromous Fish Commission (NPAFC) supports the implementation of

AIS as an important tool during ocean surveillance (Brosnan, 2015).

Classifications and Features of Automatic Identification System

There are two divisions of AIS information: Classes A and B. This depends on

the AIS transponder used in transmitting the data and information. The two classes are

both capable of being helpful, but they do have differences such as the complexity and

the price. NMEA Org (2015) contrasted the statistics and showed how they differ from

each other. The information transferred were the longitude, latitude, course over ground,

true heading, time stamp, MMSI number, navigation status. Rate of turn, speed, position

accuracy, IMO number, radio call sign, name, type of ship, the dimensions of the vessel

reference point, draught, destination, and the estimated time of arrival at destination

(NMEA Organization, 2015).

Class A, in the maritime world, is always prioritized and is always the first to be

detected by other ships. Thus, leaving the information from class B to not be detected

unless there is room on the AIS channel. There is an algorithm that adjusts its own pattern

of transmission to match the AIS transmitter of other vessels. In this case, there are more

ships that are fitted to accepting information from an AIS of class A (Pike, 2015).

7
Class A

Figure 1.1 Schematic Diagram of Class “A” Ship-borne AIS Station

An AIS with a class A transceiver are used by large vessels typically going on

international voyages at the sea. In fact, in 2002, IMO passed a mandate that every large

vessel is required to have the equipment installed for safety and identification. Class A

devices offer helpful features including a 12.5 W transmission power, comprehensive

connectivity options, large screen, mini keyboard display, enhanced environmental

protection, pilot plug, flexible transmission timing, enhanced transmission type that

ensures all information gets through (All About AIS, 2012). Class A stations report their

position self-sufficiently every 2-10 seconds subject to the vessel's speed as well as

course changes (every three minutes or less when at anchor or moored); and, the vessel's

static and voyage related data at every six minutes.

8
 Class A stations are additionally equipped for content informing wellbeing

related data and AIS Application Particular Messages, for example, meteorological and

hydrological information, Electronic Communicate Notice to Sailors, and other marine

security data (United States Coast Guard Navigation Center, 2018). It is evident that class

A offers better service than class B, thus the reason it is used for domestic voyages.

Though because of the maximum power needed by the equipment, class A requires two

antennas to function. AIS equipped with class A are prioritized in maritime stations to

receive information. This ensures that safety in the dangerous voyages overseas is

prioritized (All About AIS, 2012). However, a few old AIS stations of class A can only

receive the position of class A. These old stations are not capable of detecting class B.

This is why stations should also be equipped with the latest and most efficient transmitter

to promote more safety in navigation (Pike, 2015).

Class B

9
 Figure 1.2 Schematic Diagram of Class "B" AIS

Class B AIS transceivers were developed for leisure ships or yachts or other

smaller vessels. Class B offers lower power, few receivers and different display options to

the other class of AIS which is Class A. The class B units are designed for small vessels

with few power options, less space antennas than other more larger ships. The lower

transmission power means less rang notably less than class A devices, but this is repaid

by the foreseen ceasing separation in a crisis circumstance of the vessel compared with a

commercial vessel. Also, the device is a lot smaller compared to class A, ensures quick

installation and can combine easily with different t displays. As smaller vessels hardly

ever include a second antenna, most class B needs to use an antenna splitter to control the

use of VHF antenna between the VHF radio and AIS device (All About AIS, 2012).

Receive Only

There are also AIS that only receives information and is unable to transmit them.

These units take in information from various places such as ships, buoys, lighthouses,

SAR helicopters, coast guard units, pilot boats, weather stations, and more which enables

the seafarer to know the location and data of said senders. With a typical AIS receiver,

one will be able to see details of other vessels equipped with an AIS transponder within

the sea vicinity based on the coverage area of your AIS receiver. Having this data, a

smoother and safer sea venture is almost guaranteed. An AIS receiver is a cheaper

alternative for a transponder but having one will always be the best alternative when

thinking about safety in the seas (Milltech Marine, n.d.).

10
Installation of an Automatic Identification System

The NMEA organization explained the installation of AIS into a system of the

vessel. In SN Circular 227, the following are important: drawings, VHF antenna cable

types, GNSS antenna placement, power sources, pilot plug, interfacing, and

programming. NMEA also presented the following documentation for installation on a

new AIS. These include the antenna layout displaying the placement of other AIS, the

arrangement of AIS in the Pilothouse showing the locations of the component, and black

diagram with one line showing the AIS, power supplies, pilot plug, antennas, cable types,

and circuit locations. A VHF-FM and AIS are seamlessly similarly but the vital difference

is that the normal transmit frequencies are high for VHF-FM (NMEA Organization,

2015).

Background on Small Fishing Vessels

Fishing can be dangerous. At any stage, the sea and inland waterways will be

teeming with ships of any shape and size. AIS helps spot and identify the other ships

which are why it is important for small boats (Quark Elec, 2018). Many fishing fatalities

stem from small boats, 44 feet in length or less. Small boats can sink or tip for many

reasons including bad weather, rough seas, mechanical problems, and poor maintenance.

Some operators will cut corners on equipment or maintenance to save money, and

economic pressures force many to stay at sea longer to increase their catch, despite

needed repairs or encroaching bad weather. Mandates have been established to track large

commercial ships using Automated Identification System (AIS) and Vessel Management

11
System (VMS), but these mandates do not address the huge population of smaller boats.

In addition to safety concerns, smaller boats that remain unidentified may pose a security

risk (Proud, Browning, Kocak, & Wiafe, 2017). Proper vessel monitoring can save lives

and make fishing more sustainable which is why it is essential for fishing vessels

including the small ones, to install AIS or other Vessel Monitoring Measures (VMM)

(Yan, 2017).

12
 Chapter 3

DEVELOPMENT OF A LOW-COST AUTOMATIC IDENTIFICATION SYSTEM

FOR SMALL FISHING VESSELS

Abstract

An Automatic Identification System (AIS) is a system that aids fishermen and

seafarers when voyaging the seas. As the possibility of collision between vessels is high,
it is vital to know the information and the whereabouts of other vessels. This system
gives assurance in voyaging as it receives information on the whereabouts of the other
vessels in the area. It is imperative to have an AIS installed in a vessel as it is not only
beneficial to the fishermen or seafarers, but also to the authorities for when accidents
occur. A commercially available AIS is expensive, thus, casual seafarers use an AIS
receiver instead of transceivers because it is cheaper. An AIS receiver is a great
alternative because it still receives information from other vessels equipped with AIS.
However, a typical AIS receiver is still too expensive for local fishermen to avail, thus,
the researchers constructed a prototype to aid this. The research study aimed to construct
a low-cost AIS receiver prototype that received the position and ID of other fishing
vessels in the area. The researchers used low-cost materials without giving away its
practicality. An LCD was incorporated in the design and OpenCPN was the software
program used in the prototype. The prototype was tested at Mapua university to see if it
can receive data or information of other vessels so that it can be deemed a success. The
researchers shall provide concrete and reliable data when formulating the prototype.

Keywords: AIS, collision, local fishermen, prototype, low-cost

Introduction

Vessels come in different shapes and sizes and are made to carry a wide variety

of cargoes and ventures to the far corners of the earth’s seas. It carries various goods and

transports people that is why it is always important for vessels to be safe and secure at all

times. Increasing sea traffic has led to several problems both near the ports and at high

seas. Moreover, many accidents and collisions of ships in the past have been a result of

lack of information on the nearby ship and misleading instructions from port authorities.

13
These incidents have been the main reason for the invention and usage of ship tracking

devices. Automatic Identification System (AIS) is a maritime technical standard

developed by the International Maritime Organisation (IMO). AIS is an advanced radio

innovation which consolidates GPS, VHF, and information processing technologies to

empower the trading of significant data in an entirely characterized arrange between

various marine elements. The AIS was created to give data and to help a vessel's watch-

standing officers and enable sea specialists to track and screen vessel developments. AIS

coordinates an institutionalized VHF handset with a situating framework, for example, a

GPS recipient, with other electronic route sensors. The original purpose of AIS was

solely collision avoidance but many other applications have since developed and continue

to be developed. However, although AIS has been obligated to be used by large vessels,

there has not yet been an AIS that is more economically available that can be used by

small fishing vessels. According to Oliveria-Goumas (2010), the common types of

accidents that occur to a fishing vessel are capsizing, explosion, engine failure, leaking,

sinking, collision, and accidents linked to bad weather. When these accidents occur, it is

difficult for authorities to identify the location of the vessels and these accidents lead to

injuries and deaths of fishermen and individuals. Thus, the need for an AIS that is

available for small fishing vessels to lessen the occurrences of these accidents, for safety

and security purposes.

14
Methodology

The following will be the overview or timeline of the research study. The

researchers prepared all the necessary materials to construct the prototype. The

researchers constructed a low-cost AIS prototype using the cheapest possible materials

without giving away its practical use.

Input Process Output

Construction of AIS prototype

Raspberry Pi 2 Development of A Low-

Cost Automatic
dAISy Identification System for
Installation of OpenCPN
LCD Small Fishing Vessels.
software program.

Testing of the constructed AIS

prototype.

Figure 2. Conceptual Framework

The conceptual framework will serve as a guide that the researchers will follow in

the construction of the prototype. The process and the functions of the materials will be

discussed and elaborated in the following:

15
Gathering of Materials

In the construction of the AIS receiver, the researchers shall need a 3.5-inch

LCD, Raspberry Pi 2, dAISy, GPS, OpenCPN software, and an antenna. Also, the

prototype will be having a frequency of 161.975 MHz, a standard for AIS receivers. The

materials that will be used are essential in assembling the AIS prototype. dAISy is the

AIS receiver that receives the information of other vessels. Raspberry Pi 2 is a low-cost

open-source microcontroller board that processes the received information from the AIS

receiver and it is also responsible for displaying the map and location of vessels in the

LCD screen. The Raspberry Pi 2 shall be the storage of all programs. OpenCPN is a

software program that is able to read and translate the received codes and information.

3.5-inch LCD is the technology used for displays in notebook and other smaller

computers, this will serve as the display for the AIS.

Constructing of Prototype

A table of information between the prototype AIS and commercial AIS shall be

used as a treatment to compare materials, cost, performance, and availability of the

project. The first step will be to set up the hardware and load the software that will allow

communication. The LCD shall be connected to the Raspberry Pi 2. The Raspberry Pi 2

will be then attached to dAISy, the receiver. The SD card will be chipped into the

Raspberry Pi 2 and then, the Linux shall be booted up into the mini processor. The

software program used in creating the prototype is OpenCPN. OpenCPN is a free

16
software for marine navigation that is available to download online, then the loaded

program will be tested if it will receive information from different ships. If the

information will be successfully transmitted, then the development of the proposed AIS

design will begin. The block diagram of the designed AIS prototype will be the

following:

dAISy

(RPI) Vessel
GPS info.

OpenCPN

LCD

Figure 3. Block Diagram

In the block diagram, the dAISy received the AIS information of other vessels.

The vessel information will then be processed by the Raspberry Pi 2. The Raspberry Pi 2

will also receive the GPS of other vessels. The received data of the Raspberry Pi will then

be read and translated by the OpenCPN software program. After reading and translating

17
the program, the map with the position and information of other vessels will be displayed

in the LCD by the Raspberry Pi.

Testing of Prototype

The prototype was tested at the Yuchengco building in Mapua University,

located at Intramuros, Manila. The installed program was tested on the constructed

prototype to see if it received data from various ships within 27.78 km. The testing was

deemed a success because it showed that the prototype is capable of receiving

information and show data of other vessels around Manila Bay, such as its location and

ID. To further test its accuracy, the constructed prototype and a class A prototype were

booted up at the same time to differentiate the data in real time.

Results and Discussion

The initial aim of the researchers was to construct a low-cost Automatic

Identification System prototype that is capable of receiving the ID and the position of the

fishing vessels that will be accessible for small-scale fishermen.

18
 Figure 4. Set-up of the Constructed AIS Prototype

The researchers were able to construct an AIS that is capable of receiving the

data of other vessels within the range of 27.78 km. The constructed AIS is able to monitor

and display the movements of registered vessels as the program updates the system and

provide the position and ID of other vessels every 2-10 seconds. Aside from the initial

aim of showing the MMSI, longitude, and latitude, the prototype is also able to receive

the following specific information:

• Navigation status - at anchor, underway using engine or not under

command.

• Rate of turn - right or left, 0 to 720 degrees per minute.

• Speed over ground - 1/10 knot resolution from 0 to 102 knots.

• Position accuracy - differential GPS or other and an indication if RAIM

processing is being used.

• True Heading - 0 to 359 degrees derived from gyro input

• Timestamp - The universal time to nearest second that this information

was generated

19
 Figure 5. Sample reading from a Class A AIS

Figure 6. Sample reading from the constructed prototype

The researchers also collected data of sample reading of a Class A AIS transceiver

that is being used by the ECE Department of Mapua University. The following data is

used to provide a comparison between the display and the data shown in the licensed AIS

transceiver and the constructed AIS prototype of the researchers. The two figures show

that the constructed AIS prototype is also able to display the position and also provide the

necessary data of other vessels, similar to the AIS transceiver. However, unlike the Class

20
A AIS transceiver in Figure 4, the constructed AIS receiver is not able to transmit data to

other vessels.

To prove the accuracy of data, the researchers compared the data from a class A

AIS and the prototype. Table 1 shows the comparison of the longitude gathered from both

the prototype receiver and the class A AIS, while Table 2 shows the latitude.

Table 1. The Longitude position of Other Vessels

MMSI Class A AIS Prototype Receiver
477302300 120 deg 57.8711 E 120 deg 57.8711 E
477014700 120 deg 57.7773 E 120 deg 57.7773 E
441913000 120 deg 58.2047 E 120 deg 58.2069 E
477160200 120 deg 58.1176 E 120 deg 58.1224 E

Table 2. The Latitude position of Other Vessels

MMSI Class A AIS Prototype Receiver
477302300 14 deg 35.0946 N 14 deg 35.0946 N
477014700 14 deg 35.2043 N 14 deg 35.2043 N
441913000 14 deg 34.9438 N 14 deg 34.9425 N
477160200 14 deg 34.8508 N 14 deg 34.8501 N

The researchers used the haversine formula to compute for the distance between

the prototype and other vessels. The haversine formula is typically used in navigation,

gives it gives the shortest distance between two points in a sphere using latitude and

longitude. The derivation of the haversine formula is shown below.

Haversine Formula:

a=sin 2 ( 2x )+ cos cos ( lat 1)∗cos cos ( lat 2 )∗sin ( 2y )

2
(1)

Where:
x = latitude 1 – latitude 2

y = longitude 1 – longitude 2

21
 √ a , √ ( 1−a ) ) (2)
c=2∗(a) ¿

d=R∗c (3)
Where:

R = 6371 (radius of the Earth in kilometers)

The researchers used the general coordinates of Mapua University as point 1 and

then used the received coordinates of the prototype as point 2. The latitude coordinate of

Mapua University is 14 degree 35’ 25.17”, while the longitude coordinates are 120 degree

58’ 40.95”. The researchers calculated the distance between the sample vessels and the

location of Mapua University. Table 3 shows the two distances calculated by the

researchers using the haversine formula, the distance using data from the class A AIS and

the distance using data from the prototype. Furthermore, Table 4 shows the difference

between the two distances calculated in Table 3.

Table 3. The distance in kilometers of sample vessels from Mapua University

MMSI Class A AIS Prototype Receiver
477302300 1.575 1.575
477014700 1.672 1.672
441913000 0.8827 0.8851
477160200 1.462 1.457

Table 4. The difference between the two distances

MMSI Difference in meters
477302300 0
477014700 0
441913000 2.4
477160200 5

The first two samples were exactly the same in distance. The last two showed

little variation, showing less than 0.0034 percentage in variation.

22
 Furthermore, the study aims to create a low-cost prototype by providing an AIS

prototype that is sustainable and economically available. The following tables, Table 5

and Table 6, contains a comparison of the cost of materials that were used by the

researchers in the making of the prototype and the standard cost of an AIS receiver that is

commercially available.

Table 5. Costing of Materials Used

Materials Cost (in PHP)
Raspberry Pi 2 Model B 2,145.00
3.5-inch LCD 800.00
dAISy 2,600.00
Micro SD Card 99.00
Female Wire x 2 4.00
TOTAL 5,648.00

Table 6. Costing of Commercial AIS Receiver

Materials Cost (in PHP)
Cruisers Forum 15,600.00
Raymarine 26,808.88
The GPS Store 18,765.65
Raymarine AIS350 23,829.40
The GPS Store 30,975.00
Standard Horizon 18,765.65
Si-TEX 15,586.13
Icom 28,592.30

Conclusion

The conclusion is established in the context of three main objectives set in the

primary chapter of the study.

A. Navigation

The study specifically aims to aid the local fishermen with navigation, to avoid

collision with other vessels and ensure their safety when seafaring by having an AIS

receiver. The Automatic Identification System prototype constructed by the researchers is

able to receive the necessary vessel information from other vessels within 27.78 km. The

23
prototype can also receive the necessary information that allows the navigator to be

informed about the situation of other vessels in the sea. It was proven that the data

received by the prototype was accurate when compared to data received by a class A AIS.

The information will help them navigate through the sea safely and avoid a collision.

B. Low-Cost

The study also specifically aims to construct an AIS with the lowest possible

cost to create an economical prototype, making it financially available for the fishermen.

The constructed prototype, as seen in Table 1 and 2, is relatively more affordable

compared to commercially available AIS in the industry.

C. Display

The study also specifically aims to assist the local fishermen by incorporating an

LCD screen to the prototype to make it easier for local fishermen to use as most AIS

receivers rely on text only the constructed prototype is able to display the information of

other vessels on the 3.5-inch LCD. The LCD displays the map presenting the position and

movement of other vessels and its own AIS. There are also settings that are available on

the menu tab of the display wherein the owner can adjust the brightness, zoom through

the screen, copy information, and determine the exact location and MMSI of other

vessels. The specifications available on the prototype will help assist the fishermen by

allowing them to see the movements better without having to read.

The prototype successfully displayed the aimed objective of showing the

longitude and latitude coordinates, as well as the identification of the surrounding vessels.

24
References
All About AIS. (2012). Basic AIS product types. Retrieved from All About AIS:
http://www.allaboutais.com/index.php/en/
All About AIS. (2012). Class A. Retrieved from All About AIS:
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product-types/134-class-a-transceiver
All About AIS. (2012). Class B. Retrieved from All About AIS:
http://www.allaboutais.com/index.php/en/aisbasics1/ais-product-types/103-ais/basic-ais-
product-types/135-class-b-transceiver
Arroyo, G. (2011). The Automatic Identification System . Retrieved from Internation
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Bhattacharjee, S. (2017, October 9). Automatic Identification System (AIS): Integrating
and Identifying Marine Communication Channels. Retrieved from Marine Navigation :
https://www.marineinsight.com/marine-navigation/automatic-identification-system-ais-
integrating-and-identifying-marine-communication-channels/
Bole, A., Wall, A., & Norris, A. (2013, December). Radar and ARPA Manual . Liverpool,
England: Butterworth-Heinemann 2014. doi:10.1016/B978-0-08-097752-2.00005-2
Brosnan. (2018). The potential use of ‘automatic identification systems – AIS’ as a
fisheries monitoring tool (EN). Gaborone, Botswana.
Brosnan, M. (2015). The potential use of ‘automatic identification systems – AIS’ as a
fisheries monitoring tool. Gaborone, Botsawana: Stop Illegal Fishing.

25
Cabrera, F., Molina, N., & Arana, V. (2016, July 1). Automatic Identification System
modular receiver for academic purposes. Radio Science, 51, 1038-1047.
doi:10.1002/2015RS005895.
Hu, B. (2016). IDENTIFYING FISHING ACTIVITIES FROM AIS DATA WITH
CONDITIONAL RANDOM FIELDS. Dal Space Library.
Kerbiriou, R., Lévêque, L., Rajabi, A., & Serry, A. (2017). THE AUTOMATIC
IDENTIFICATION SYSTEM (AIS) AS A DATA SOURCE FOR STUDYING
MARITIME TRAFFIC. In I. M. Conference, Book of Proceedings (p. 1). Split, Croatia .
Mao, S., Tu, E., Zhang, G., Rachmawati, L., Rajabally, E., & Huang, H. (2016 ). An
Automatic Identification System (AIS) Database for Maritime Trajectory Prediction and
Data Mining.
NMEA Organization. (2015). Automatic Identification Systems. Retrieved from US Coast
Guard Navigation Center: https://www.nmea.org/Assets/nmea%20collision%20avoidance
%20through%20ais.pdf
Papi, F., Tarchi, D., Vespe, M., Oliveri, F., & Aulicino, G. (2014, August 28).
Radiolocation and tracking of automatic identification system signals. Retrieved from
IEEE Workshop on Statistical Signal Processing (SSP):
https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/6884686/authors#authors
Pike, J. (2015). Class A And Class B Automatic Identification System (AIS). Retrieved
from Safety Compliance: https://www.oceantimemarine.com/class-a-and-class-b-
automatic-identification-system-ais/
Proud, R., Browning, P., Kocak, D., & Wiafe, G. A. (2017). Small vessel tracking using
AIS for enhanced maritime domain awareness. OCEANS 2017 - Anchorage.
Quark Elec. (2018, March 28 ). AIS for small boats. Retrieved from Quark Elec:
https://www.quark-elec.com/ais-for-small-boats/
Raymarine. (2018). Automatic Identification System. Retrieved from Raymarine:
http://www.raymarine.com/ais/
Stupak, T. (2014). Influence of Automatic Identification System on Safety of Navigation
at Sea. Internation Journal on Marine Navigation and Safety at Sea Transportation , 8(3),
337-341. doi:10.12716/1001.08.03.02
Trend Micro Corporation. (2016, March 4). FAQ: Automatic Identification Systems (AIS),
its Benefits and Threats. Retrieved from Trend Micro:
https://www.trendmicro.com/vinfo/us/security/news/cybercrime-and-digital-threats/faq-
automatic-identification-systems-ais-benefits-and-threats
Tu, E., Zhang, G., Rachmawati, L., Rajabally, E., & Huang, G. (2017, September 4).
Exploiting AIS Data for Intelligent Maritime Navigation: A Comprehensive Survey From

26
Data to Methodology. IEEE Transactions on Intelligent Transportation Systems, 19(5),
1559-1582.
United States Coast Guard Navigation Center. (2018, April 4). TYPES OF AUTOMATIC
IDENTIFICATION SYSTEMS. United States Coast Guard Navigation Center.
Yan, G. (2017, September 22). Vessel Monitoring Technology Can Save Fishers’ Lives,
Make Fisheries Transparent. Retrieved from Oceana : https://oceana.org/press-
center/press-releases/vessel-monitoring-technology-can-save-fishers%E2%80%99-lives-
make-fisheries

Chapter 4
CONCLUSION

The following chapter will provide an overall conclusion about the study. The

conclusion is established in the context of three main objectives set in the primary chapter

of the study.

A. Navigation

The study specifically aims to aid the local fishermen with navigation, to avoid

collision with other vessels and ensure their safety when seafaring by having an AIS

receiver. The Automatic Identification System prototype constructed by the researchers is

able to receive the necessary vessel information from other vessels within 27.78 km. The

prototype can also receive the necessary information that allows the navigator to be

informed about the situation of other vessels in the sea. It was proven that the data

received by the prototype was accurate when compared to data received by a class A AIS.

27
The information will help them navigate through the sea safely and avoid a collision. It

can be concluded that the prototype receiver receives accurate information as it provides

similar data with a class A AIS.

B. Low-Cost

The study also specifically aims to construct an AIS with the lowest possible

cost to create an economical prototype, making it financially available for the fishermen.

The constructed prototype, as seen in Table 1 and 2, is relatively more affordable

compared to commercially available AIS in the industry.

C. Display

The study also specifically aims to assist the local fishermen by incorporating an

LCD screen to the prototype to make it easier for local fishermen to use as most AIS

receivers rely on text only. The constructed prototype is able to display the information of

other vessels on the 3.5-inch LCD. The LCD displays the map presenting the position and

movement of other vessels and its own AIS. There are also settings that are available on

the menu tab of the display wherein the owner can adjust the brightness, zoom through

the screen, copy information, and determine the exact location and MMSI of other

vessels. The specifications available on the prototype will help assist the fishermen by

allowing them to see the movements better without having to read. The prototype

successfully displayed the aimed objective of showing the longitude and latitude

coordinates, as well as the identification of the surrounding vessels.

28
 Chapter 5

RECOMMENDATION

It is recommended to have deep prior knowledge about scripts and programming

before planning and constructing the prototype to have faster and better progress and

result.

Future researchers may use an alternative microcontroller board other than

Raspberry Pi 2 that is cheaper but is relatively more complex. For example, ARM

processor and microcontroller which is designed to perform a smaller number of types of

computer instructions so that they can operate at a higher speed, performing more

millions of instructions per second. Future researchers can also use Arduino UNO as the

board which is an open-source microcontroller board based on the Microchip

ATmega328P microcontroller and developed by Arduino Company.

Furthermore, the researchers recommend future researchers to prepare a design

for the prototype. A design that will ensure the safety of the prototype by encasing it in a

durable casing, making it readily available for the public.

There are other modes of display that can be used other than LCD. Future

researchers may use other another material such as LED and construct a new design for

the AIS prototype.

29
 References
All About AIS. (2012). Basic AIS product types. Retrieved from All About AIS:
http://www.allaboutais.com/index.php/en/
All About AIS. (2012). Class A. Retrieved from All About AIS:
http://www.allaboutais.com/index.php/en/aisbasics1/ais-product-types/103-ais/basic-ais-
product-types/134-class-a-transceiver
All About AIS. (2012). Class B. Retrieved from All About AIS:
http://www.allaboutais.com/index.php/en/aisbasics1/ais-product-types/103-ais/basic-ais-
product-types/135-class-b-transceiver
Arroyo, G. (2011). The Automatic Identification System . Retrieved from Internation
Initiatives : http://www.dtic.mil/dtic/tr/fulltext/u2/a551029.pdf
Bhattacharjee, S. (2017, October 9). Automatic Identification System (AIS): Integrating
and Identifying Marine Communication Channels. Retrieved from Marine Navigation :
https://www.marineinsight.com/marine-navigation/automatic-identification-system-ais-
integrating-and-identifying-marine-communication-channels/
Bole, A., Wall, A., & Norris, A. (2013, December). Radar and ARPA Manual . Liverpool,
England: Butterworth-Heinemann 2014. doi:10.1016/B978-0-08-097752-2.00005-2
Brosnan. (2018). The potential use of ‘automatic identification systems – AIS’ as a
fisheries monitoring tool (EN). Gaborone, Botswana.
Brosnan, M. (2015). The potential use of ‘automatic identification systems – AIS’ as a
fisheries monitoring tool. Gaborone, Botsawana: Stop Illegal Fishing.
Cabrera, F., Molina, N., & Arana, V. (2016, July 1). Automatic Identification System
modular receiver for academic purposes. Radio Science, 51, 1038-1047.
doi:10.1002/2015RS005895.
Hu, B. (2016). IDENTIFYING FISHING ACTIVITIES FROM AIS DATA WITH
CONDITIONAL RANDOM FIELDS. Dal Space Library.
Kerbiriou, R., Lévêque, L., Rajabi, A., & Serry, A. (2017). THE AUTOMATIC
IDENTIFICATION SYSTEM (AIS) AS A DATA SOURCE FOR STUDYING
MARITIME TRAFFIC. In I. M. Conference, Book of Proceedings (p. 1). Split, Croatia .
Mao, S., Tu, E., Zhang, G., Rachmawati, L., Rajabally, E., & Huang, H. (2016 ). An
Automatic Identification System (AIS) Database for Maritime Trajectory Prediction and
Data Mining.
NMEA Organization. (2015). Automatic Identification Systems. Retrieved from US Coast
Guard Navigation Center: https://www.nmea.org/Assets/nmea%20collision%20avoidance
%20through%20ais.pdf

30
Papi, F., Tarchi, D., Vespe, M., Oliveri, F., & Aulicino, G. (2014, August 28).
Radiolocation and tracking of automatic identification system signals. Retrieved from
IEEE Workshop on Statistical Signal Processing (SSP):
https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/6884686/authors#authors
Pike, J. (2015). Class A And Class B Automatic Identification System (AIS). Retrieved
from Safety Compliance: https://www.oceantimemarine.com/class-a-and-class-b-
automatic-identification-system-ais/
Proud, R., Browning, P., Kocak, D., & Wiafe, G. A. (2017). Small vessel tracking using
AIS for enhanced maritime domain awareness. OCEANS 2017 - Anchorage.
Quark Elec. (2018, March 28 ). AIS for small boats. Retrieved from Quark Elec:
https://www.quark-elec.com/ais-for-small-boats/
Raymarine. (2018). Automatic Identification System. Retrieved from Raymarine:
http://www.raymarine.com/ais/
Stupak, T. (2014). Influence of Automatic Identification System on Safety of Navigation
at Sea. Internation Journal on Marine Navigation and Safety at Sea Transportation , 8(3),
337-341. doi:10.12716/1001.08.03.02
Trend Micro Corporation. (2016, March 4). FAQ: Automatic Identification Systems (AIS),
its Benefits and Threats. Retrieved from Trend Micro:
https://www.trendmicro.com/vinfo/us/security/news/cybercrime-and-digital-threats/faq-
automatic-identification-systems-ais-benefits-and-threats
Tu, E., Zhang, G., Rachmawati, L., Rajabally, E., & Huang, G. (2017, September 4).
Exploiting AIS Data for Intelligent Maritime Navigation: A Comprehensive Survey From
Data to Methodology. IEEE Transactions on Intelligent Transportation Systems, 19(5),
1559-1582.
United States Coast Guard Navigation Center. (2018, April 4). TYPES OF AUTOMATIC
IDENTIFICATION SYSTEMS. United States Coast Guard Navigation Center.
Yan, G. (2017, September 22). Vessel Monitoring Technology Can Save Fishers’ Lives,
Make Fisheries Transparent. Retrieved from Oceana : https://oceana.org/press-
center/press-releases/vessel-monitoring-technology-can-save-fishers%E2%80%99-lives-
make-fisheries

31
 APPENDICES

Figure 1.1 Schematic Diagram of Class “A” Ship-borne AIS Station

Figure 1.2 Schematic Diagram of Class "B" AIS

32
 Input Process Output

Construction of AIS prototype

Raspberry Pi 2 Development of A Low-

Cost Automatic
dAISy Identification System for
Installation of OpenCPN
LCD Small Fishing Vessels.
software program.

Testing of the constructed AIS

prototype.

Figure 2. Conceptual Framework

dAISy

(RPI) Vessel
GPS info.

OpenCPN

LCD

33
 Figure 3. Block Diagram

Figure 4. Set-up of the Constructed AIS Prototype

Figure 5. Sample reading from a Class A AIS

34
 Figure 6. Sample reading from the constructed prototype

Table 1. The Longitude position of Other Vessels

MMSI Class A AIS Prototype Receiver
477302300 120 deg 57.8711 E 120 deg 57.8711 E
477014700 120 deg 57.7773 E 120 deg 57.7773 E
441913000 120 deg 58.2047 E 120 deg 58.2069 E
477160200 120 deg 58.1176 E 120 deg 58.1224 E

Table 2. The Latitude position of Other Vessels

MMSI Class A AIS Prototype Receiver
477302300 14 deg 35.0946 N 14 deg 35.0946 N
477014700 14 deg 35.2043 N 14 deg 35.2043 N
441913000 14 deg 34.9438 N 14 deg 34.9425 N
477160200 14 deg 34.8508 N 14 deg 34.8501 N

Table 3. The distance in kilometers of sample vessels from Mapua University

MMSI Class A AIS Prototype Receiver
477302300 1.575 1.575
477014700 1.672 1.672
441913000 0.8827 0.8851
477160200 1.462 1.457

Table 4. The difference between the two distances

MMSI Difference in meters
477302300 0
477014700 0
441913000 2.4
477160200 5

35
Table 5. Costing of Materials Used
Materials Cost (in PHP)
Raspberry Pi 2 Model B 2,145.00
3.5-inch LCD 800.00
dAISy 2,600.00
Micro SD Card 99.00
Female Wire x 2 4.00
TOTAL 5,648.00

Table 6. Costing of Commercial AIS Receiver

Materials Cost (in PHP)
Cruisers Forum 15,600.00
Raymarine 26,808.88
The GPS Store 18,765.65
Raymarine AIS350 23,829.40
The GPS Store 30,975.00
Standard Horizon 18,765.65
Si-TEX 15,586.13
Icom 28,592.30

36