Safety Flash
USCG: Automatic identification system (AIS) inaccuracies led to fatalities
USCG: Automatic identification system (AIS) inaccuracies led to fatalities
- IMCA
- Safety Flash
- IMCA SF 19/20
- Machinery and EquipmentMarine Operations
- Loss of vessel stabilityRegulation and legislationVessel collision
- NavigationTowing
- Navigation and positioning equipment
- Marine industry
- Vessel
Summary
This flash describes a fatal collision between towing vessels approaching a Mississippi River bend in darkness. Their AIS broadcasts omitted full tow lengths, limiting operators’ understanding of the passing situation. It highlights accurate vessel data entry and display, and summarises SOLAS requirements for AIS carriage and operation.
Classifications: Loss of vessel stability; capsize; vessel stability.
Classifications: Regulation and legislation; safety legislation; regulatory requirements.
Classifications: Vessel collision; ship collision; marine allision.
Classifications: Navigation; vessel navigation; passage planning.
Classifications: Towing; towage.
Classifications: Navigation and positioning equipment; ECDIS; AIS; chart plotters.
Classifications: Marine industry; shipping industry; maritime sector.
Classifications: Vessel; aboard ship; onboard vessel.
Summary
The United States Coastguard (USCG) has published Safety Alert 04-20 relating to an incident where a causal factor in a number of fatalities was incorrect information entered into vessel AIS (Automatic Identification Systems). Accurate AIS data entry and display is essential to safe navigation.
IMCA SF 19/20. Themes: machinery and equipment, marine operations.