GB-Edinburgh: AIS Enhancement Project

The Northern Lighthouse Board's is working towards enhancement of AIS capabilities by introducing new AIS and virtual AIS transmitting locations. This project will be over a 2-year period. Estimated 6 sites per year.

AIS Locations

Location of new sites to transmit AIS messages (base station) along with Virtual AIS messages "on-demand"

1) Buchan Ness Lighthouse, 2) Duncansby Head Lighthouse, 3) Dunnet Head Lighthouse, 4) Kinnaird Head Lighthouse, 5) Point of Ayre Lighthouse, 6) St. Abbs Lighthouse

Location of new sites to transmit Virtual AIS messages (permanent transmission)

1) Sandy Riddle Virtual AIS (via Duncansby Head), 2) Stroma Skerries Virtual AIS (via Dunnet Head & Duncansby Head)

Location of existing AIS sites to undergo enhancement work (change to a base station) to include ability to transmit virtual AIS "on-demand"

1)Corsewall Lighthouse, 2) Eilean Glas Lighthouse, 3)Fife Ness Lighthouse, 4) Neist Point Lighthouse, 5) Rubh Re Lighthouse

In addition to the above, Whale Rock Buoy will be changed from physical AIS to virtual AIS (via Flannan Island, Haskeir & St. Kilda) which would require re-programming of AIS unit in these 3 locations without requiring any hardware change.

Hardware & Software Requirement

We would require purchasing following pieces of hardware for this project.

12 x AIS base stations with VHF Antennas

12 x 4G Routers with VPN capabilities

Software development and integration to IGNITION is critical part of this project