1. IALA proposals for Preliminary Draft New Recommendation ITU-R M.[VDES]
International Association of Marine Aids to Navigation and Lighthouse Authorities (IALA)
IALA proposals for Preliminary Draft New Recommendation ITU-R M.[VDES]
Stefan Bober
IALA e-NAV Committee
AIS/COMMS WG

2. IALA's Role in Marine Aids to Navigation
IALA – AISM International Association of Marine Aids to Navigation and Lighthouse Authorities
10 rue des Gaudines
78100 St Germain en Laye, France

3. A non-profit, international technical association Established 1957
International Association of Marine Aids to Navigation and Lighthouse Authorities (IALA)
A non-profit, international technical association
Established 1957
Creates “IALA Recommendations” and “IALA Guidelines”
For Marine aids-to-navigation
Including Vessel Traffic Services

4. IALA’s Purpose
The aim of IALA is to foster the safe and efficient movement of vessels through the improvement and harmonisation of marine aids to navigation worldwide, and by other appropriate means.
IALA’s Strategic Domain
The term ‘Marine Aid to Navigation ‘ means a device, system, or service, external to a vessel, designed and operated to enhance safe and efficient navigation of all vessels and/or vessel traffic
The organisation shall have a consultative, recommendatory, and technical nature

5. IALA’s Committee structure
IALA Recommendations and Guidelines
Guidance documents are developed by four Technical Committees
(ARM) AtoN Requirements and Management
(ENAV) e-Navigation
(VTS) Vessel Traffic Services
(ENG) AtoN Engineering and Sustainability
Meeting twice a year at IALA HQ
Typical meeting attendance is

6. IALA’s work on Communication Systems
IALA Maritime Radio Communication Plan
Developed to assist in selection of systems to support maritime communication
To state the IALA vision for use of the spectrum
Focus on the need for an agreed infrastructure
Guidance to IALA members
One step in the work on future use of the spectrum was the development of the Maritime Radio Communication Plan. The first edition was published 2009 and it was updated 2012 and last year, 2013, was a special edition developed and sent to ITU on invitation by ITU WP5B.
The main purposes of the plan are shown here.

7. IALA’s work on Communication Systems
Automatic Identification System - AIS
exactEarth
Collision avoidance
Satelite tracking
As VTS tool
Inland AIS

8. IALA’s work on Communication Systems
Need for additional means for date exchange
expanding use of AIS technology causes significant load of the AIS channels
emerging high VDL loading in busy areas
Gulf of Mexico 64 %
Korea 40 %
Japan 40 %
future introduction of e-Nav with the expected need for more data exchange
-> existing AIS will not be able to cope future requirements for data exchange

9. IALA’s work on Communication Systems
The concept of VHF Data Exchange System
VDES concept addresses the need for additional capacity for digital data exchange
protecting the original function of AIS identification, position reporting and tracking
provides capability for maritime data exchange for safety, security, efficiency and the protection of the environment
globally interoperability and availability
dedicated to maritime safety communication
-> support of maritime data communication, e-Nav, and modernization of GMDSS

10. IALA’s work on Communication Systems
VDES concept integrates several function of VHF Data Exchange: AIS
Function of AIS: - Automatic Identification System -

11. IALA’s work on Communication Systems
AIS remains unchanged for its original purpose
functions:
identification of ships
position reporting and tracking
navigational ship data
support of search and rescue
technical characteristic:
radio channel AIS 1, AIS2, Ch 75 and CH 76
all tailored messages, e.g. msg 1,2,3,4,5,9,18,21,23
some ASM remains, at least for transitional phase
channel management might be restricted
-> AIS stays as it is, however considers other functions of the VDES

12. IALA’s work on Communication Systems
VDES concept integrates several function of VHF Data Exchange: AIS + ASM
Function of ASM: - Application Specific Messages -

13. IALA’s work on Communication Systems
Application Specific Message ASM
Most of the existing application specific messages and new messages will be moved to new channels called ASM
functions:
IMO defined ASM
regional ASM
allows for “real” communication including acknowledgement
high reliability of message reception
technical characteristic:
radio channel ASM 1, ASM2,
higher capacity than AIS channels
message structure as for msg 6,7,8,12,13,14,25,26
-> ASM with more capacity and better reliability of message delivery

14. IALA’s work on Communication Systems
VDES concept integrates several function of VHF Data Exchange: AIS + ASM + VDE
Function of VDE: - VHF Data Exchange - Terrestrial -

15. IALA’s work on Communication Systems
VHF Data Exchange - terrestrial
VHF Data Exchange provides higher capacity data trans-mission with different message structure than AIS and ASM
functions:
higher capacity data exchange
terrestrial exchange ship<->ship and ship<->shore
allows for “real” communication including acknowledgement
high reliability of message reception
technical characteristic:
6 international radio channel
additional regional channels
channel merging for higher data rate
-> VDE terrestrial for higher volume data exchange

16. IALA’s work on Communication Systems
VDES concept integrates several function of VHF Data Exchange: AIS + ASM + VDE + Sat
Function of VDE: - VHF Data Exchange – Satellite –
- Uplink -

17. IALA’s work on Communication Systems
VDES concept integrates several function of
VHF Data Exchange: AIS + ASM + VDE + Sat
Function of VDE: - VHF Data Exchange – Satellite –
- Downlink -

18. IALA’s work on Communication Systems
VDE satellite provides VHF Data Exchange beyond the radio coverage range of a shore infrastructure or where no shore infrastructure exists
functions:
data exchange outside shore station range
data exchange ship<->satellite<->shore
satellite uplink and satellite downlink
allows for “real” communication including acknowledgement
technical characteristic:
satellite with VDE capability
shares channels with VDE terrestrial
satellite have VDE receiver and transmitter
-> VDE satellite enables global coverage including polar regions

19. Development of VDES IALA’s input to ITU
IALA has been a leading organization in the development of AIS
2007: ITU WRC 2007 invited IALA to contribute to studies on future use of spectrum
2008: “IALA’s vision and strategy for maritime systems propose a significant shift from analogue to digital communications in the VHF maritime band
2010: Request for Protection of AIS channels, Channels for Satellite AIS, Additional channels for ”Next Generation of AIS”, Spectrum resources for ”VHF Data Service”
Sharing recourses between voice radio and digital data communication
Efficient use of spectrum of RR Appendix 18
-> Initially only analog voice radio communication used the VHF maritime mobile band; ITU RR Appendix 18,
Analog to
Digital
Request
for
channels
Request for
specific
Results
from WRC 2012
Channel plan
VDES
VDES technic and use
Invitation
contribute
WRC
2015

20. Development of VDES IALA’s input to ITU
2011: “IALA requests that ITU designate RR Appendix 18 channels 27 and 28 for AIS 5 and AIS 6 and the contiguous group of the 6 channels 24, 84, 25, 85, 26 and 86 for the VHF Data Exchange of safety and security related information“
2012: ”IALA has encouraged its members to develop studies to result in input to justify the additional channel requirements”
2013: Updated plan for a VDES to ITU WP 5B, - Working Document toward Preliminary Draft New Recommendation ITU-R M. [VDES] - Proposed a channel plan incl usage of the channels
Sharing recourses between voice radio and digital data communication
Efficient use of spectrum of RR Appendix 18
-> Initially only analog voice radio communication used the VHF maritime mobile band; ITU RR Appendix 18,
Analog to
Digital
Request
for
channels
Request for
specific
Results
from WRC 2012
Channel plan
VDES
VDES technic and use
Invitation
contribute
WRC
2015

21. IALA proposal for ITU-R M.[VDES]

22. IALA proposal for ITU-R M.[VDES]
The liaison note includes an
amended version of Annex 8
to Working Party 5B
Chairman’s Report
showing the amendments
in tracked changes.
IALA proposal for PDNR ITU-R M.[VDES]
=> Rec. + 7 Annexes

23. IALA proposal for ITU-R M.[VDES]
- main document -
Considering:
IMO requirement for AIS, protection of AIS
AIS for surveillance, tracking and VTS
VDES provides capacity for maritime data communications
Recognizing
VDES must ensure DSC, AIS and voice distress, safety and calling communication (Channel 16), are not impaired
Recommends
VDES should be designed in accordance with the Annexes
ASM considering Rec. ITU-R M.3171 and IMO SN Circ. 289
relevant technical requirements, recommendations and guidelines published by IMO, IEC and IALA

24. IALA proposal for ITU-R M.[VDES]
Annex 1:
Operational characteristics of a VHF data exchange system in the VHF maritime mobile band
General:
highest priority to AIS
Receiving and transmitting messages
Continuous operation in autonomous, assigned and polled modes
TDMA technology
Flexibility by minimized system complexity
Use cases as in report ITU-R M.[VDES-SELECT]

25. Annex 1: VDES system functions
Long range AIS
4.6 MHz separation
VDE ship-shore transmit
AIS-VDE ship receiving bandwidth

26. Annex 1: RR Appendix 18 channels for VDES
RR App. 18 channel number
Transmitting frequencies (MHz)
Ship stations (ship-to-shore)
(long range AIS)
Ship stations (ship-to- satellite)
Coast stations
Ship stations (ship-to-ship)
Satellite-to-ship
AIS 1
AIS 2
75 (long range AIS)
(ships are Tx only)
N/A
76 (long range AIS)
(ships are Tx only)
2027 (ASM 1)
(2027)
2028 (ASM 2)
(2028)
24/84/25/85 (VDE 1)
24/84/25/85/26/86 (Ship-satellite, satellite-ship
100/150 kHz channel
(24/84/25/85, lower legs (VDE1-A) merged) Ship-to-shore
(24/84/25/85/26/86,) Ship-to- satellite
(24/84/25/85, upper legs (VDE1-B) merged) Ship-to-ship, Shore-to-ship (24/84/25/85/26/86,) Satellite-to- ship 24
(1024)
(2024) 84
(1084)
(2084) 25
(1025)
(2025) 85
(1085)
(2085) 26
(1026)
(2026) 86
(1086)
(2086)

27. Annex 1: VDES engineer’s perspective

28. Annex 1: Structure of the document
VDES architecture utilizes the Open Systems Interconnection layers 1 to 4
Layer 1: Physical layer
raw bit streams over a physical medium
tx / rx, modulation, synch.
Layer 2: Link layer
reliable transmission of data frames
granting data transfer access
Layer 3: Network layer
priority assignments of messages
distribution of transmission packets
Layer 4: Transport layer
reliable transmission of data segments
segmentation, acknowledgement
Application layer
Presentation layer
Session layer
Transport layer
Network layer
Link layer
Physical layer

29. Annex 1: Common Elements of the VDES
Identification: Rec. ITU-R M.585
Frame Structure: concept of a one (1) minute frame, divided into 2250 slots, synchronized to UTC minute
Presentation Interface: input, output of data via PI
Forward Error Correction: encoding, interleaver, rate adaption
Cyclic Redundancy Check: 32 bit ITU-T V.42
Antenna configurations for VDES ship stations
Transmitter requirements for VDES ship stations: ≤ 25 W
Shutdown procedure: tx ≤ 2 s
Safety precautions

30. IALA proposal for ITU-R M.[VDES]
Annex 1: Operational characteristics of a VHF data exchange system in the VHF maritime mobile band
Annex 2: Technical characteristics of the Application Specific Message (ASM) channels for the VDES
Annex 3: Technical characteristics of VDE-terrestrial
Annex 4: Technical Characteristics of VDE satellite downlink
Annex 5: Technical characteristics of VDE satellite uplink
Annex 6: Resource Sharing Method for VDES Terrestrial and Satellite Services
Annex 7: Original design considerations to validate the VDES concept

31. IALA proposal for ITU-R M.[VDES]

32. IALA proposal for ITU-R M.[VDES]

33. IALA Recommend Channel Plan A
Channel Plan A assures coexistence of VHF voice radio, DSC, AIS, ASM and VDE (terrestrial & satellite)
Channels in the low frequency range of the VHF maritime mobile band
Channels in the high frequency range of the VHF maritime mobile band
Chanel No.
Frequency MHz
Function
Legend: 75
VHF Data Exchange
350 kHz
225 kHz
AIS LR 16 70
DSC
500 kHz 76
1024
1084
1025
1085
1026
1086
4.45 MHz
2024
2084
2025
2085
2026
2086
ASM 1
ASM 2
AIS 1
AIS 2
2027
2028
xxxx
MHz
MHz
Ship station analog voice transmission
Coast station analog voice transmission
VDE ship-shore transmit
AIS-VDE ship receiving bandwidth