AIS and Håkan Lans

South Pacific Familyadventure 2008
Claes Brodin
Thu 15 Nov 2018 07:49
Automatic identificationsystem, AIS is on every ship over 300 tons and on a vast number of boats in the pleasure fleet.
The Swedish inventor Håkan Lans invented the system but lost patent to an American company (good old gread again).
The system is of immense help not only in fog but above all in heavily trafficated waters. One obvious benefit is the possibility nowadays to find names on ships where collision is at risk and to be able to
call them up on the radio.
This short film (obviously filmed with my mobile and with bad quality due to heavy compression of film required) I took this morning approaching Estonian coastline and the entrance to the Gulf of Finland. Traffic is heavy in the area and I had called M/V Humber before
on the VHF radio. Officer on watch advised me he would pass in safe distance on my bow but coming closer I needed to call him up again. As heard on the VHF communication M/V Humber is turning to starboard while I`m reducing speed. This kind of communication is of invaluable support to avoid collision.
On the next post is a short filmsequence from Humber after turning to starboard.

Attachment: VHF kontakt Humber.mov
Description: QuickTime movie