Automatic Identification System (AIS) is an advanced navigation system developed and used by ships and vessel traffic systems (VTS) for collision avoidance at sea.

The IMO SOLAS requires AIS to be fitted aboard all ships of gross tonnage =>300 for international voyage. The system can be interfaced with Radar and Electronic chart to provide information about the ships in vicinity for safety of navigation and security.

AIS helps to resolve the difficulty of identifying ship when not in sight, at night, by radar limitation or at distance by providing a means for ships to exchange ID, position, course, speed and other ship data, with all other nearby ships and VTS stations through a standardized VHF transponder system.

AIS receiver displays local vessel traffic including name, call sign, length, speed, course and distance from your position can be interfaced/integrated with the Radar targets echo, GPS position and electronic chart information that make the navigator possible to navigate and do the collision avoidance with an overall picture easier