AIS data deal to aid safe navigation

AIS data from Vesper Marine smartAIS transponders is now available on the Navionics apps Boating Marine & Lakes for Apple devices and Boating HD Marine & Lakes for Android devices.

With this new feature, the app enables boaters to view Class A and Class B vessels and Aids to Navigation (AtoN) directly on the app’s nautical charts. Especially useful during low visibility and in heavy traffic areas, users can select any target to see vessel details such as name, MMSI, call sign, status, speed, heading, coordinates and distance.

“Being the most popular navigation app, we are delighted that Navionics has added this new feature to receive AIS and GPS data from Vesper Marine smartAIS transponders,” said Jeremy Singleton, sales director at Vesper Marine. “Boaters simply connect the app to the WiFi of the Vesper Marine transponder and targets are visible on charts in real time.”

Navionics charts feature map, satellite and terrain overlays, in addition to Vesper Marine smartAIS overlays and are used extensively to study port plans and safety depth contours, identify tides and currents, locate navigation aids and nearby marine services.

By Rebecca Jeffrey