IDENTIFYING SHIPS ON THE PANAMA CANAL

As of July 1, 2003, ships of more than 300 gross tons or more than 20 m long in Panama Canal waters must have an automatic identification system (AIS). To assist vessels that arrive without a functional AIS, the Panama Canal Authority is offering vessel-tracking, pilot-portable AIS units for rent at U.S. $150 per transit until December 31, 2004. The U.S. Department of Transportation's Volpe Transportation Systems Center developed the units for the canal, and the Authority has adopted the technology to track its own tugboats, launches, and dredges. The Authority has also interfaced the Volpe technology with the canal's new AIS network and port radar systems. According to advisories from the Panama Canal Authority, some AIS units on ships arriving at the canal are not operating correctly. Additional early feedback and results from AIS use on the Panama Canal will be available later this year.

• Record URL:
  http://www.trb.org/Publications/Blurbs/154750.aspx
• 
• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/issn/07386826
• Corporate Authors:

  Transportation Research Board

  500 Fifth Street, NW
  Washington, DC  United States  20001
• Authors:
  • Gradowski, M R
  • Hung, S
  • Hartley, A
• Publication Date: 2004-3

Language

• English

Media Info

• Pagination: p. 5
• Serial:
  • TR News
  • Issue Number: 231
  • Publisher: Transportation Research Board
  • ISSN: 0738-6826

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Canals; Ships; Tracking systems; Vessel traffic control
• Identifier Terms: Panama Canal; Panama Canal Authority
• Uncontrolled Terms: Automatic vessel identification systems
• Subject Areas: Highways; Marine Transportation; Operations and Traffic Management; Planning and Forecasting; Vehicles and Equipment;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00974258
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS, TRB
• Created Date: May 24 2004 12:00AM