'The UK AIS Network provides real-time AIS information to all MRCCs, MCA's Headquarters, and a number of other UK stakeholders, said Steve Brown of the MCA. 'The C-Scope User Interface has been in service with UK MRCCs for over a year. The latest planned release provides a number of additions which will supplement existing functionality.'

Phase 3 includes a wealth of new functionality within the C-Scope User Interface, such as BMT SARIS support providing search and rescue graphical display, VHF Direction Finding for triangulating the position of a vessel through radio transmission, the transmission and receipt of AIS Messages including safety text and control messages, track reclassification to mark specific vessels for easy identification and tracking, and a high visibility warning object which means no erroneous settings are used for extended periods.

Kongsberg Norcontrol IT has also implemented a number of management functions into the system, including software maintenance and distribution for system wide upgrades and maintenance, fully redundant server configuration, audit and logging of all operator interactions including graphical display, integration with a health monitoring system which ensure control and dissemination of alarms and warnings, and 'follow me' customised settings where users have a unique profile irrespective of which operator station they are using.

Following the successful SAT, the new software being provided under Phase 3 has been rolled out to the 65 workstations in 18 regional control centres throughout the UK.