How the Pelagic Vessel Tracking System Works

Comparison of Vessel Tracking System Classes

	Automatic Identification Systems (AIS)	Vessel Monitoring Systems (VMS)	Pelagic Data's Vessel Tracking System (VTS)
Primary Use	Helping ships avoid collisions and assisting port authorities in better monitoring maritime traffic	Monitoring specifically for commercial fishing vessels that is designed for regulatory bodies to track and manage fishing activities	Autonomous tracking of vessels of any size, including those not large enough to be well-suited for AIS or VMS systems
Vessel Size Class	International voyaging ships with gross tonnage (GT) of 300 or more, any passenger ship regardless of size, and US fishing vessels	Varies by location (e.g., USA requires it on any commercial fishing vessel; the EU requires it on any fishing vessel larger than 12m (40ft))	Appropriate for vessels of any size, including those without a power source
Tracking Interval	Broadcasts position in real-time (typically every few seconds) to avoid collisions	Typically sends a position reading once per hour	Records positions every few seconds, it can also store years' worth of data directly onboard
Power Requirements	Requires power supply	Requires power supply, or batteries to be recharged regularly	Completely power-independent using a solar energy
Data Communication Method	Primarily VHF radio but can be supplemented by satellite communication methods	Satellite based communications	Cellular Data Network
Cost	$$$	$$$$$	$