What You Should Know About Satellite AIS Tracking and How It Can Help Your Business
From inclement weather to pandemics, there is a myriad of external factors that can affect your shipment. Knowing where your cargo is at all times offers peace of mind. SiShips has integrated with Satellite AIS tracking to expand its freight tracking capabilities, allowing users to check the position of their ocean cargo with accuracy and ease. This update, provided at no additional cost for customers, offers additional transparency throughout the import and export process, along with valuable data that can be used to optimize shipping procedures.
What Is AIS Tracking?
Automatic Identification Systems, or AIS, are used to track ships at sea. While previously, these systems were limited to terrestrial, or T-AIS tracking, satellites, or S-AIS, provide more expansive tracking coverage. The two methods work together to create a complete, global picture of ship locations. This tracking system is vital to preventing collisions on busy marine routes but can also be used as a means of shipment management.
How SiShips Tracks Your Cargo
While your cargo is at sea, SiShips gathers location data from three leading Satellite AIS providers, ORBCOMM, exactEarth, and Spire. These satellites account for a network of 202,848 vessels, allowing you to track your freight anywhere in the world.
The SiShips software automatically checks and updates the ocean freight’s position multiple times per day, providing real-time insights as well as additional information. A report from the satellite includes the ship’s identification number, or MMSI, its current position, and the direction it’s progressing in. It also offers information about the ship’s speed and details about its status, such as whether or not the engine is being used. We put this information together to give you a complete visual picture of your shipment’s journey, as well as its ETA to each checkpoint. Once your freight is near land, the tracking transitions to a terrestrial AIS system, which is more accurate but limited in range.
The Value of Data in Shipment Tracking
Because it was implemented in 1974, there are vast amounts of historical AIS data. This detailed information can be used to anticipate problems, optimize plans, and plan future shipment strategies. With the volumes of data transmitted by these systems, combined with SiShips’ extensive customs and shipment management framework, our software can help businesses apply these insights to manage logistics, reduce costs and react more quickly to disruptions or changes. With more data, your business can improve efficiency, saving you money and reducing stress. Ultimately, with less time spent worrying about your freight, you can get back to the bigger picture: building your business and increasing your margins.
