2. Information Technology (IT) Strategy for the Sea
(1) Employing IT at Sea
Information technology (IT) is also being embraced at sea from the perspective of rendering distribution more efficient and improving safety.
1] Harbor Electronic Data Interchange (EDI)
Besides there being many applications, including reports of entering and leaving port, and application for permission to use mooring facilities, as the documents must be taken to multiple ministries and agencies, conventional harbor procedures are extremely laborious and require an undue amount of time. The process of Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) of the necessary procedures is proceeding rapidly in order to solve this matter.
2] Universal Ship-Borne Automatic Identification System (AIS)
The Universal Ship-Borne Automatic Identification System (AIS) refers to a system where a vessel continually transmits information about herself (vessel name, size, type, position, course and speed) and automatically receives similar information from other vessels.
The introduction of AIS has enabled vessels to have an advance communication with other vessels in the vicinity since they are able to automatically acquire details, such as the vessel's name, from comparatively long distances. Furthermore, by displaying AIS data on radar screens and electronic navigational charts, duty officers are now able to intuitively determine the position of other vessels in relation to their own and the risk of collision. This system is all the more useful for avoiding collisions between vessels, for example.
