The Finnish Maritime Administration has been exploring the full potential of AIS in a big way. As elsewhere, it’s an important component of their VTS system, monitoring conventional ship-to-ship AIS transmissions.

In addition, however, their network of shore-based AIS base stations are set up to broadcast as well as receive. What do they broadcast? Base stations can act as repeaters, rebroadcasting vessel information into neighboring areas. This can be important because Finland’s heavily indented coastal geography frequently shadows the propagation of radar and radio waves. Some base stations broadcast realtime enrvironmental data, such as depth, wind speed and direction, or current velocity and direction.

They even use AIS inland, particularly on well-travelled Saimaa, Finland’s largest lake. Although AIS is not mandatory for lake traffic, it’s becoming more common, with vessel owners adding the equipment voluntarily in many cases. In some cases, FMA provides AIS boxes for visiting ships to use while in the Saimaa lake area.

Perhaps Finland’s inspiring example can help generate momentum in North America for the sort of Artificial AIS trials I’ve been advocating.