Abstract
This work presents an overview of the radio interface of VHF Data Exchange System (VDES), which is currently on its way to become an ITU standard supported by International Association of Marine Aids to Navigation and Lighthouse Authorities. VDES includes the already existing collision avoidance tracking system Automatic Identification System and the messaging system Application Specific Messages. Additionally, a new third component for digital maritime communications of any kind, named VHF Data Exchange is included. On the one hand, there is a traditional terrestrial component, on the other hand, a satellite communication link is also envisioned partly by the same spectrum usage. In this article, focus is given towards the technical design aspects and challenges of this hybrid communications transmission scheme.
Highlights
In the globalized world in which we live, transportation is becoming more and more important
The maritime community is seeking for new possibilities and capacities towards digital communications
Since the users are on globally distributed ships and often time far beyond the horizon, a hybrid solution of a terrestrial and satellite-based transmission scheme addresses the challenge for reaching all users
Summary
In the globalized world in which we live, transportation is becoming more and more important. The number of passengers and products carried by transportation systems over land, air and sea increases every year, and is expected to keep growing over the decades This ever increasing traffic results in a number of challenges, some of which are related. The main goal of AIS was enabling a type of broadcast communication in which vessels periodically report their position, course and speed, to avoid collisions. Given the danger to AIS’ main mission, collision avoidance, that this overload can represent, the International Association of Marine Aids to Navigation and Lighthouse Authorities (IALA) and a number of national maritime authorities started the work on the VHF Data Exchange. We describe the status of the standardization process and the regulatory challenges that VDES is currently facing. We list several research directions relevant for the future of VDES.
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