Maritime Safety and Security Information System

The Maritime Safety & Security Information System (MSSIS) is a freely-shared, unclassified, near real-time data collection and distribution network. Its member countries share data from Automatic Identification System (AIS), coastal radar, and other maritime-related systems.^[1] MSSIS combines the data from participating nations into a single data stream through secure Internet-based servers. Through MSSIS, participating governments can view real-time AIS data from around the world in a wide range of geographic display options, including text, photo overlays, electronic charts, and Google Earth. Displays can also integrate additional features such as user-provided radar overlays.

MSSIS Background

MSSIS was developed by the Volpe National Transportation Systems Center at the U.S. Department of Transportation's Research and Innovative Technology Administration and is available to nations worldwide to improve global maritime safety, security, commerce and environmental stewardship.^[2]

Benefits of MSSIS

The global sharing of AIS data among governments through a common, open exchange provides a solid foundation for and a path to greater international trust, cooperation and open dialog and thus, improved stability, security, trade, and environmental stewardship.

MSSIS provides participating nations unprecedented access to global shipping information. Specific benefits of sharing AIS data via MSSIS include:^[3]

Feeding data to existing in-country maritime awareness systems & initiatives
Building regional Vessel Traffic Services (VTS) capabilities
Allowing the development of vessel safety statistics & analysis of vessel transits
Serving as the underlying feed for layering complementary data (radar pictures, oil spill monitoring, port operations etc.)

MSSIS already serves as the data feed for many sophisticated applications benefiting seafarers and citizens of nations around the world.

MSSIS capabilities

The Volpe Center provides Transview (TV32), a Microsoft Windows-based application,^[4] to access the MSSIS network. Transview provides a means to view MSSIS data and can also serve as interface between the MSSIS network and other Maritime Domain Awareness (MDA) systems a government might already be operating.^[5]

Additional capabilities of TV32 include:^[6]

Vessel traffic management (Vessel Traffic Service, situation displays etc.)
Canal transit management
Maritime de-confliction
Safety statistics (via data logging & playback, snap shot files)
Pilot navigation (ETA, closest point of approach, dead reckoning)
Accident investigation (via data logging and playback)
Buoy positioning
Oil spill modeling display
Harbor surveillance
Secure vessel transiting
Monitoring of territorial waters
Security zones - dynamic, static, user-defined
Secure data exchange

MSSIS Security

Because participants view the protection of vessel data from unauthorized use as crucial, MSSIS enables password-protected, Internet-based sharing of AIS data using encrypted data links (TCP/IP SSL Secure Socket Layer).

No processing, alteration, or storing occurs
Data is open source and freely shared among participating governments
Can be used by any system that uses standard format AIS data

Recognition and Awards

MSSIS is a winner of the 2008 Innovations in American Government Award from the Ash Institute for Democratic Governance and Innovation at the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University for its efforts in enhancing levels of safety and economic stability in the global seas.^[7]

How Nations Become Participants

By contributing AIS data into MSSIS, a country becomes eligible to receive the AIS data from all nations participating in MSSIS. Technical assistance is available to any country with a willingness to participate. Transview (TV32), the MSSIS client software, is provided free-of charge by the Volpe Center.^[8]

Nations interested in learning more about MSSIS contact the interim MSSIS administrator, the U.S. Office of Global Maritime Situational Awareness, to arrange a visit by a technical assessment team. This team can demonstrate the benefits of MSSIS and discuss participation requirements.

Notes

↑ U.S. Department of Transportation Volpe National Transportation Systems Center Web site. https://mssis.volpe.dot.gov/
↑ Global Maritime Domain Awareness. Ash Institute for Democratic Governance and Innovation, Harvard Kennedy School. Retrieved March 4, 2009, from http://www.innovations.harvard.edu/awards.html?id=123101
↑ Transview (TV32) Installation and Operations Guide for Maritime Safety and Scurity Information System (MSSIS). U.S. Department of Transportation Volpe Center, Cambridge, MA, July 10, 2008, p. 5-6. https:/mssis.volpe.dot.gov/Main/manual/
↑ Transview (TV32) Installation and Operations Guide for Maritime Safety and Scurity Information System (MSSIS). U.S. Department of Transportation Volpe Center, Cambridge, MA, July 10, 2008, p. 7. https://mssis.volpe.dot.gov/Main/manual/
↑ Transview (TV32) Installation and Operations Guide for Maritime Safety and Scurity Information System (MSSIS). U.S. Department of Transportation Volpe Center, Cambridge, MA, July 10, 2008, p. 5. https://mssis.volpe.dot.gov/Main/manual/
↑ TV32 Overview, from the U.S. Department of Transportation Volpe Center Web site. Accessed March 4, 2009 from https://mssis.volpe.dot.gov/Main/overview/
↑ Global Maritime Domain Awareness. Ash Institute for Democratic Governance and Innovation, Harvard Kennedy School. Retrieved March 4, 2009, from http://www.innovations.harvard.edu/awards.html?id=123101
↑ MSSIS, from the Maritime Awareness Wiki (January 14, 2009) Accessed March 4, 2009 from http://www.gmsa.gov/twiki/bin/view/Main/MssisInformation

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