PC-TC- 1673– B4/29 AUG-2018

Procedure
and
workbook for
Automatic
Identification
System - AIS
Onboard Course

Department or author: Approved by:

Marius Høgnesen Vibeke Nordahl-Paulsen

© 2018 Seagull Maritime

All rights reserved.
No part of this work covered by
the copyright hereon may be
reproduced or otherwise copied
without prior written permission of
Seagull Maritime AS

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 PC-TC- 1673– B4/29 AUG-2018

Document status
Issue no. Date Author
1673 A 10.11.2004 OH
1673 A1 15.08.2005 OH
1673 A2 10.08.2006 OH
1673 A3 26.02.2007 OH
1673 A4 01.01.2007 OH
1673 A5 01.02.2010 MB
1673 B1 31.08.2012 MH
1673 B2 27.01.2014 AB
1673 B3 20.11.2014 AB
1673 B4 29.08.2018 TT

Changes in the document

Issue no. Paragraph no. Description
1673 A1 Para 1.3.3 Changed from 6 to 4 questions and minimum 3 must be
Para 1.8 answered.
Chap. 3 last page
1673 A2 Para 3.1 Change INS to AIS in the first question.
1673 A3 Para 1.9 Add new paragraph, Evaluation of on board course.
1673 A4 Para 1.5-1.8 Updated with new email and text.
1673 A5 Para 1.7 Added AIS verification check list. Changed text to candidate
detail page.
Para 1.8 Added item AIS verification check list. Changed so that the
candidate must sign the documentation check list.
Para 1.9 Added page with fixed candidate details and moved
evaluation from Para 1.9 to Para 8
Para 1.10 Added page AIS verification check list
Para 3 Changed / modified all questions
Para 2.3 Added relevant legislations and references
1673 B1 Chapter 1 Chapter 1 text changed
Chapter 3 Chapter 3 named chapter 4
Chapter 3 Work book updated to include more theory to cover IMO's
AIS model course 1.34
Exercise chap. 4 Modified / added questions
1673 B2 Updated 1.3, 1.8, 1.9 and 1.10.
1673 B3 Para 1.9 Removed "CBT Login ID", added "Ships flag"
1673 B4 New template

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Table of content
Document status.................................................................................................................................... ii
Changes in the document ..................................................................................................................... ii
Table of content .................................................................................................................................... iii
1 Procedure for AIS onboard course ................................................................................................. 1
1.1 The objective .............................................................................................................1
1.2 Pre requisites ............................................................................................................1
1.3 Activities to be done ..................................................................................................1
1.4 Materials to be used ..................................................................................................1
1.5 Completion of training ...............................................................................................1
1.6 Questions ..................................................................................................................2
1.7 The following must be sent to Seagull: .....................................................................2
1.8 Documentation checklist ...........................................................................................3
1.9 Candidate detail page ...............................................................................................4
1.10 Verification checklist ..................................................................................................5
2 Facts about AIS .............................................................................................................................. 6
2.1 Requirements ............................................................................................................6
2.2 Class A & B and AtoNs .............................................................................................6
2.3 Safety messages and Binary messages ...................................................................6
2.4 Operating procedures, detrimental effects and use in Oil terminals .........................6
2.5 UN/LOCODE .............................................................................................................7
2.6 Data recording ...........................................................................................................7
3 Exercises ........................................................................................................................................ 8
4 Evaluation ..................................................................................................................................... 10

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1 Procedure for AIS onboard course

1.1 The objective

The objective of this onboard course is to:

- make the trainee understand the objectives of AIS, how AIS works as a system, benefits and
limitations of AIS, needed decision making process with the use of AIS, entering and
checking AIS data, practical use of AIS, sending and responding to safety/security related
messages and finally a thorough familiarization of the AIS onboard.

Upon completion a documentary evidence for AIS will be issued.

1.2 Pre requisites

The course is designed both for candidates for certification as officers in charge of a navigational
watch and for experienced deck officers and other persons with responsible duties in navigation
work, such as pilots. Those wishing to enter this course should have had training and experience in
the use of radar and ARPA and be fully conversant with the International Regulations for Preventing
Collisions at Sea.

1.3 Activities to be done

Complete the Seagull Maritime e-learning module # 0109 - AIS with at least 95% completion
(including all chapters) and a test score of at least 75 %.
Read through and complete all exercises in this workbook.

1.4 Materials to be used

- Seagull Maritime e-learning module # 0109
- Procedure and workbook for AIS (this document)
- AIS manufacturer manual and other relevant documentation

1.5 Completion of training

The training procedure has been completed when:
- All prescribed activities has been performed and;
- The Master or Assessor on board has verified the result of each and every training activity
and signed all documents.
- Printouts from the completed e-learning module and workbook with supporting documents
are sent to Seagull Maritime for verification.

NOTE:
Each individual seeking certification must read through the workbook and complete all
questions individually and submit all written answers formulated in own words so that the
answers reflect individual competence. All submitted applications are filed and compared to
previously received applications. Seagull Maritime will charge for applications which are
found to be copied from previously submitted applications or are considered to be
fraudulent.

E-learning test results must not be older than 12 months.

Incomplete documentation/not passing evaluation will be shredded and a complete new set must be
sent.

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1.6 Questions
Questions regarding the training can be sent by email to obtraining@sgull.com
The subject in the e-mail must be, “AIS training”

1.7 The following must be sent to Seagull:

Upon receipt of documentation as outlined in the checklist below, Seagull Maritime will assess the
application and if approved, issue a documentary evidence which will be sent to the company.

All pages generated by the candidate on board must be signed and verified by Master
or Assessor and marked with the vessel’s stamp.

Please send the documentation as one PDF attachment to the following email:
obtraining@sgull.com

The subject in the email must be “AIS training – candidate name”

Please note:
All further correspondence regarding this application will include all recipients of the original mail
sent to Seagull Maritime.

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1.8 Documentation checklist

AIS

The following documents, duly completed, must be submitted to Seagull for evaluation and approval
before Seagull can issue the documentary evidence.

Candidate detail page completed confirming candidate’s full name,

date of birth, address and nationality, ship’s name, invoicing address etc.

Copy of ID of person who is signing the checklist (Master or Assessor).

Copy of candidate’s passport or discharge book confirming the full

name and date of birth.

Copy of verification of training from e-learning module# 0109

Answers to all the questions and exercises in the workbook

Copy of AIS system certificate or a printed page confirming the AIS equipment
used for the exercises.

Documentation checklist completed (1.8) and signed by candidate.

Verification checklist (1.10) read and signed by Master/Assessor.

All submitted pages signed and verified by Master or Assessor onboard

and marked with ship’s stamp.

I hereby declare that this is my own work and effort and that all is done according to procedure:

--------------------------- -------------------------------------------------------
Date Candidate signature

IMPORTANT NOTE:

IF ANY OF THESE DOCUMENTS ARE MISSING, NOT READABLE OR OTHERWISE NOT

COMPLETE, COURSE EVALUATION AND PROCESSING OF THE DOCUMENTARY EVIDENCE
CANNOT BE EXECUTED BY SEAGULL TRAINING DEPARTEMENT AND DELAYS WILL BE
EXPERIENCED. INCOMPLETE DOCUMENTATION/NOT PASSING EVALUATION WILL BE
SHREDDED AND A COMPLETE NEW SET MUST BE SENT TO SEAGULL.

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1.9 Candidate detail page

AIS

First name

Middle name

Last name

Date of birth (day, month, year)

Nationality

Rank/position

E-learning Login ID

Ship name

Ship IMO number

Ship email address

Name of Company

Company contact person

(Training dep.)
Company email address

Invoicing address
(Company)

Note!
For Norwegian seafarers and seafarers working on Norwegian flagged vessels who have
been issued a Norwegian D-number:

Norwegian Social Security Number

Norwegian D-number

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1.10 Verification checklist

AIS

To ensure all Seagull Maritime courses are done according to our procedures, all documents and
checklists must be signed and stamped. This must be done by Master or a qualified onboard
assessor.

If Seagull finds that an application is partially or entirely a duplicate of another application, the
application will be rejected and documentary evidence will not be issued.
The candidate and company will be notified.

The Master/Assessor must take all necessary precautions to ensure that all these requirements are
met.

The Master/Assessor is jointly responsible that the applications are according to our procedures and
guidelines. In STCW regulation I/6 and section A-I/6 is stated that all training and seafarers are
required to be administered, supervised and monitored. The Master/Assessor is part of fulfilling this
requirement.

By signing this document I can confirm that the following items have been done and verified:

That the participant’s ID and personal details are correct.

That the e-learning module is at least 95% completed and achieved an assessment
score of at least 75%.

The training is individual and unaided work.

--------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------------------
Date Signature of Master*/Assessor

*If the candidate is the Master, another senior officer onboard must act as Assessor.

Master/Assessor details:
First name

Middle name

Last name

Date of birth

Rank/Position

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2 Facts about AIS

2.1 Requirements
This AIS training is conducted in accordance with Resolution A.917(22) as amended by resolution
A.956(23) “Guidelines for the on-board operational use of shipborne Automatic Identification
Systems”, the STCW and the IMO model course 1.34. The AIS carriage requirements are contained
in SOLAS regulation V/19 and the AIS performance standards are listed in the MSC.74(69) annex 3.

2.2 Class A & B and AtoNs

SOLAS Chapter V to meet the requirements of Universal Shipborne Automatic Identification System,
requires all ships of 300 gross tonnage and upwards on international voyages, all ships of 500 gross
tonnage not engaged in international voyages and all passenger vessels irrespective of size to carry
class A AIS. Class B AIS is optional and may be used by other vessels, such as leisure and fishing
vessels. The navigator should take note that class B AIS dynamic data updates will be less frequent
than that of class A AIS, possibly creating apparent positional jumps on his/her display. The class B
data is also more likely to be connected to inferior navigation equipment.
AIS is also increasingly used to mark positions and to supply additional data about AtoNs (Aids to
Navigational Systems), such as beacons, buoys, landmarks and marking the limits of channels
obstructions, chartered locations. An AtoN has an AIS transponder associated with it. Some of the
key advantages of AIS racons are; automatic and clear display of precise position on ground
referenced radar and ECDIS, auxiliary information about the navigational aid, not radar dependant.
Disadvantages include; as the AIS is a ground referenced position it depends on own ship also
knowing its own precise position to be of any use, position may be lost on own ship because of
failure in its primary and back-up GNSS equipment, general failure of GNSS because of intentional
or unintentional jamming.
Technology has today also allowed for synthetic AIS AtoN, which means that the actual AIS
information is transmitted to the navigational mark or other AtoN from a distance, that is the AIS
does not need to be a physical part of the navigational mark. Another feature is the virtual AIS AtoN,
where purpose data is sent for a geographical position, which is not marked by a visible physical
object. Both synthetic and virtual AtoNs will be labelled as virtual on the display. The AIS AtoN will
be displayed as a Diamond with crosshair, centred at the reported position on the ECDIS and radar
display.

2.3 Safety messages and Binary messages

All AIS shipborne equipment is capable of receiving and transmitting safety and security related
messages. These may be sent to an individual station (e.g. another ship) or broadcasted to all
stations. The message length is restricted to about 160 characters. For a message to an individual
station there is an automatic response given from station stating whether the message was fully
received or if there was a problem.
An optional flexible message facility feature on the AIS known as AIS Binary messages has been
developed to allow additional messages to be sent via AIS. The Binary messages are divided into
two categories; international applications and regional applications. These consist of 7 messages:
Meteorological and hydrological data, Dangerous cargo indication, Fairway closed, Tidal window,
Extended ship static and voyage-related data, Number of persons onboard, Pseudo-AIS targets.
Most shipborne AIS units have already incorporated as default; number of persons onboard, air-
draught and Dangerous cargo indication.

2.4 Operating procedures, detrimental effects and use in Oil terminals

AIS should always be in operation when ships are underway or at anchor. If the master believes that
the continual operation of AIS might compromise the safety or security of the ship or where security
incidents are imminent, the AIS may be switched off. This may be the case where the ship is in an
area known to have significant pirate activity. If the ship is operating in a mandatory ship reporting

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system, unless it would further compromise the safety or security, the master should report this
action and the reason for doing so to the competent authority. Actions of this nature should be
recorded in the ship’s logbook.
All AIS units have a security mechanism that detects the disabling of the AIS. This consists of a
memory function that records all periods when the AIS installation is non-functioning. The memory is
not accessible by the user. As a minimum it records the last 10 times when the equipment was not
functioning for more than 15 minutes.
The user should be aware that the AIS may experience faults due to bad installation or refit of other
navigation or radio communication systems. Such symptoms may be noises when using VHF radio,
ship name missing for the target if AIS VHF antenna is situated too close to a satellite or radar
antenna, permanent information errors due to faulty wiring.
Oil transfer regulations contained within the International Safety Guide for Oil Tankers and Terminals
– ISGOTT state that radio transmissions from a ship loading or discharging tankers must be limited
to 1 watt maximum. It should be realised that low power operation of an AIS is set at 2 watts. Some
systems do however have a 1 watt manual setting for use within oil terminals. If this setting is not
provided the master should order the AIS to be switched off during loading or discharging
operations, unless port regulations override this. This consideration should also be made when
berthed in other hazardous environments where explosive gases may be present.

2.5 UN/LOCODE
The AIS unit allows for the input of destination and arrival port, in the voyage related data menu. The
AIS field for destination allows for free text of up to 20 characters. This results in numerous
variations in the spelling of the same port, making it difficult for other ships and shore authorities to
identify the port uniquely. IMO therefore recommends using the United Nations code for ports known
as UN/LOCODE. E.g. a ship leaving Dubai bound for Rotterdam, would have to put in the following
information on to the AIS; AE DXB > NL RTM. If the port is unknown, “?? ???” should be entered. If
the port does not have a designated UN/LOCODE “XX XXX” should be used. If the port does not
have an UN/LOCODE but a commonly accepted English name, the name should be preceded by
“===” (3 equals signs). If only the general area of destination is known, the name of or accepted
abbreviation should be used instead, preceded by “===”.

2.6 Data recording

Most AIS systems today are integrated into a Radar or ECDIS system. These systems allow AIS
data and alarms to be recorded. These systems also allow the recorded AIS data to be played back
on a later date. There will usually also be the possibility to define the scope of recording data by
message types (Class A, Class B, AtoN, SAR aircrafts, Alarms etc).

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3 Exercises
All questions and exercises are scored equally; to get full score try to answer all questions as
comprehensive as possible. All questions must be answered and a score of 75% is required to pass
the course.

Some of the questions and exercises will require you to look into your AIS manufacture manual and
other relevant documentation. Note: All answers must be done on a separate sheet.

Exercise #1

Describe your AIS system installation in detail.

Key words: Location of antennas, minimum key display, transmitter/receiver and integration/interface
with other equipment such as: ECDIS, RADAR, GPS, Gyro etc.

Exercise #2

Objective of AIS
1. What is the main objective of AIS?
2. Describe the AIS carriage requirements.
3. What are the main advantages with AIS?
4. What are the potential dangers with AIS?
5. What is meant with the term “risk of overreliance”?

Exercise #3

Demonstrate a correct and complete start up procedure on your AIS system.

1. Describe what to check before power up of the AIS.
2. Describe what to check after start up of the AIS.
3. Describe how to check the input from the system sensors.
4. Describe what to do in case some sensors are failing.
5. Describe your AIS familiarization checklist
6. Describe the procedures that exist on your ship for AIS usage.

Exercise #4

Voyage related data and navigation status.

1. Describe step by step the procedure for how to change voyage information in your AIS system.
2. Describe the voyage data to be changed. Which optional binary messages are included on your
AIS?
3. Using UN/LOCODE, how would you note; your departure e.g. port of Slagentangen in Norway and
destination United States West Coast, onto your AIS voyage related data?
4. Describe how to change the navigational status.
5. When should you change the navigational status?
6. What is the purpose of changing the navigational status?

Exercise #5

AIS static and dynamic information.

1. Describe your ships static information.
2. Describe how you check your vessel’s dynamic data.
3. As an operator, are you able to change the static information (explain you answer)?
4. Describe how you activate/deactivate AIS targets on the MKD, ECDIS and ARPA.

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Exercise #6

How to obtain AIS operational status

1. Describe how to check the operational status of the AIS?
2. Describe how to check that your ships AIS is transmitting the correct data?
3. Explain how you would record and play back AIS data.
4. Describe how to activate the AIS self test.

Exercise #7

AIS usage
1. List some AtoNs where you may find AIS fitted.
2. Describe how you would send a security related message.
3. Is there any situation where the AIS may be turned off?
4. Describe how you would set regional operating settings on your AIS.
5. What are some of the alarms you may experience from your AIS? Name at least 4.

Exercise #8

Engineering mode/service mode

1. What is the purpose of engineering/service mode?

Exercise #9

Maintenance
1. Describe your ships maintenance routine for the AIS installation.

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4 Evaluation
Course name:

1. How easy was it to understand how to complete the course?

Poor Very good

2. Do you consider the Onboard Course to be a good tool for training?

Poor Very good

3. To what degree do what you have learnt meet the learning objectives described in the
course’s procedure?

Poor Very good

4. How do you rate the possibility of putting what you have learnt into practice?

Poor Very good

5. To what degree will this course help you in your role as deck officer?

Not at all Very much

6. What is your overall rating of the course?

Poor Very good

Rank: Date: Place:

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