“Vessel tracking systems” is a general term for systems that enable authorities to track and monitor vessel activity.
Modern vessel tracking has revolutionized our ability to see what’s happening on the ocean. While traditional tools have their limits, two primary systems — the automatic identification system, or AIS, and the vessel monitoring system, or VMS — now serve as the backbone of international vessel tracking.
Though both systems use transponders to broadcast a vessel’s location, they often operate in silos. Global Fishing Watch is bridging this gap by integrating these data streams, proving that while AIS and VMS are powerful individually, they are stronger together.
