Vessel Tracking Using the Automatic Identification System (AIS) During
Emergency Response: Lessons from the Deepwater Horizon Incident

Kurt Schwehr

To be presented at US Hydro 26-April-2011

Abstract

What does the maritime Automatic Identification System (AIS) vessel
tracking mean for mariners at sea and operations staff on shore during
emergency response operations?  Real-time AIS and e-Navigation related
technologies enable closer coordination between all involved parties.
Recorded historical AIS data give insight into what occurred before,
during, and after an incident.  Historical AIS analyses facilitate
planning for future situations by creating a baseline model of
operational procedures, as they currently exist.  There are issues of
mariner and responder safety deriving from the sudden and drastic
alteration of ship traffic patterns caused by ermergencies.  By
planning ahead, the community can mitigate these risks and improve the
efficiency of the response at the same time.  AIS has limitations for
both real-time tracking and historical analysis that must be
understood by all involved.  However, when used appropriately, AIS is
an effective emergency response tool.

The Deepwater Horizon (DWH) oil spill was the first major oil spill
where the US Coast Guard’s AIS ship tracking data was released to the
public in real-time and many vessels were equipped with AIS.  The
Environmental Management Application (ERMA) provided the official
Common Operational Picture (COP) to responders.  The system archived
more than 100 GB of AIS vessel positions reports from the Gulf of
Mexico during the incident.  This paper presents the history of the
AIS tools behind ERMA, the initial investigations into how oil spill
response operations progressed, and lessons learn to improve future
response efforts.

Keywords: AIS, Vessel Tracking, COP, ERMA, Oil Spill, Deepwater
Horizon, DWH