AIS Vessel Tracks 2016
Identification Information
Content Information
Distribution Information
Data Quality Information

Metadata: 
  File identifier: 
      gov.noaa.nmfs.inport:54204
  Language: 
    Language Code: 
      eng
  Character set: 
    Character set code: 
      UTF8
  Hierarchy level: 
    Scope code: 
      dataset
  Metadata author: 
    Responsible party: 
      Organisation name: 
          Office for Coastal Management
      Contact info: 
        Contact: 
          Phone: 
            Telephone: 
              Voice: 
                missing
          Address: 
            Address: 
      Role: 
        Role code: 
          resourceProvider
  Metadata author: 
    Responsible party: 
      Organisation name: 
          NOAA Office for Coastal Management
      Contact info: 
        Contact: 
          Phone: 
            Telephone: 
              Voice: 
                  (843) 740-1202
          Address: 
            Address: 
              Delivery point: 
                  2234 South Hobson Ave
              City: 
                  Charleston
              Administrative area: 
                  SC
              Postal code: 
                  29405-2413
              Country: 
                missing
              Electronic mail address: 
                  coastal.info@noaa.gov
          Online Resource: 
            Online Resource: 
              Linkage: 
                URL: 
                  https://coast.noaa.gov
              Protocol: 
                  WWW:LINK-1.0-http--link
              Name: 
                  NOAA Office for Coastal Management Website
              Description: 
                  NOAA Office for Coastal Management Home Page
              Function: 
                Online function code: 
                  information
      Role: 
        Role code: 
          pointOfContact
  Date stamp: 
      2025-04-30T23:16:15
  Metadata standard name: 
      ISO 19115-2 Geographic Information - Metadata Part 2 Extensions for imagery and gridded data
  Metadata standard version: 
      ISO 19115-2:2009(E)
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Identification info: Data identification: Citation: Citation: Title: AIS Vessel Tracks 2016 Date: Date: Date: 2018-10-31 Date type: Date type code: publication Identifier: Identifier: Authority: Citation: Title: NOAA/NMFS/EDM Date: inapplicable Code: Anchor: xlink: https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/inport/item/54204 title: InPort Catalog ID 54204 Cited responsible party: Responsible party: Organisation name: inapplicable Contact info: Contact: Online Resource: Online Resource: Linkage: URL: https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/inport/item/54204 Protocol: WWW:LINK-1.0-http--link Name: Full Metadata Record Description: View the complete metadata record on InPort for more information about this dataset. Function: Online function code: information Role: inapplicable Presentation form: Presentation form code: mapDigital Abstract: Vessels traveling in U.S. coastal and inland waters frequently use Automatic Identification Systems (AIS) for navigation safety. The U.S. Coast Guard collects AIS records using shore-side antennas. These records have been filtered and converted from a series of points to a set of track lines for each vessel. Vessels can have one or more tracks of any length, and can be separated by gaps due to intermittent loss of the AIS signal. Tracks will not necessarily start or stop at a well defined port, or when a vessel is not in motion. Vessel tracks are an efficient and spatially unbiased indicator of vessel traffic. Purpose: To support ocean planning activities pursuant to the Executive Order Regarding the Ocean Policy to Advance the Economic, Security, and Environmental Interests of the United States, the Energy Policy Act, the Rivers and Harbors Act, and the Coastal Zone Management Act. Credit: NOAA Office for Coastal Management, Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, USCG Navigation Center Status: Progress code: completed Point of contact: Responsible party: Organisation name: NOAA Office for Coastal Management Contact info: Contact: Phone: Telephone: Voice: (843) 740-1202 Address: Address: Delivery point: 2234 South Hobson Ave City: Charleston Administrative area: SC Postal code: 29405-2413 Country: missing Electronic mail address: coastal.info@noaa.gov Online Resource: Online Resource: Linkage: URL: https://coast.noaa.gov Protocol: WWW:LINK-1.0-http--link Name: NOAA Office for Coastal Management Website Description: NOAA Office for Coastal Management Home Page Function: Online function code: information Role: Role code: pointOfContact Point of contact: Responsible party: Organisation name: NOAA Office for Coastal Management Contact info: Contact: Phone: Telephone: Voice: (843) 740-1202 Address: Address: Delivery point: 2234 South Hobson Ave City: Charleston Administrative area: SC Postal code: 29405-2413 Country: missing Electronic mail address: coastal.info@noaa.gov Online Resource: Online Resource: Linkage: URL: https://coast.noaa.gov Protocol: WWW:LINK-1.0-http--link Name: NOAA Office for Coastal Management Website Description: NOAA Office for Coastal Management Home Page Function: Online function code: information Role: Role code: custodian Resource maintenance: Maintenance information: Maintenance and update frequency: Maintenance frequency code: notPlanned Descriptive keywords: Keywords: Keyword: EARTH SCIENCE > HUMAN DIMENSIONS > ENVIRONMENTAL GOVERNANCE/MANAGEMENT Type: Keyword type code: theme Thesaurus name: Citation: Title: Global Change Master Directory (GCMD) Science Keywords Date: missing Edition: 17.0 Descriptive keywords: Keywords: Keyword: CONTINENT > NORTH AMERICA > UNITED STATES OF AMERICA Keyword: OCEAN > ATLANTIC OCEAN > NORTH ATLANTIC OCEAN > GULF OF AMERICA Type: Keyword type code: place Thesaurus name: Citation: Title: Global Change Master Directory (GCMD) Location Keywords Date: missing Edition: 20.8 Descriptive keywords: Keywords: Keyword: AIS Keyword: Automatic Identification System Keyword: coastal zone management Keyword: environment Keyword: ocean planning Keyword: oceans Keyword: planning Keyword: planningCadastre Keyword: position report Keyword: static data report Keyword: transportation Keyword: vessel Keyword: vessel traffic Keyword: voyage Type: Keyword type code: theme Descriptive keywords: Keywords: Keyword: Atlantic Ocean Keyword: East Coast Keyword: Exclusive Economic Zone Keyword: Great Lakes Keyword: Gulf of Mexico Keyword: Outer Continental Shelf Keyword: UTM Zone 1 Keyword: UTM Zone 10 Keyword: UTM Zone 11 Keyword: UTM Zone 14 Keyword: UTM Zone 15 Keyword: UTM Zone 16 Keyword: UTM Zone 17 Keyword: UTM Zone 18 Keyword: UTM Zone 19 Keyword: UTM Zone 2 Keyword: UTM Zone 20 Keyword: UTM Zone 3 Keyword: UTM Zone 4 Keyword: UTM Zone 5 Keyword: UTM Zone 6 Keyword: UTM Zone 7 Keyword: UTM Zone 8 Keyword: UTM Zone 9 Keyword: United States Keyword: West Coast Type: Keyword type code: place Descriptive keywords: Keywords: Keyword: DOC/NOAA/NOS/OCM > Office of Coastal Management, National Ocean Service, NOAA, U.S. Department of Commerce Type: Keyword type code: dataCentre Thesaurus name: Citation: uuid: 9f0de6e6-428b-11df-9879-0800200c9a66 Title: Global Change Master Directory (GCMD) Data Center Keywords Date: Date: Date: 2017-04-24 Date type: Date type code: publication Edition: 8.5 Cited responsible party: xlink: https://data.noaa.gov/docucomp/1edb41d0-428a-11df-9879-0800200c9a66 title: GCMD Landing Page Descriptive keywords: Keywords: Keyword: AIS Type: Keyword type code: project Thesaurus name: Citation: Title: InPort Date: inapplicable Resource constraints: Legal constraints: Use constraints: Restriction code: otherRestrictions Other constraints: Cite As: Office for Coastal Management, [Date of Access]: AIS Vessel Tracks 2016 [Data Date Range], https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/inport/item/54204. Resource constraints: Constraints: Use limitation: NOAA provides no warranty, nor accepts any liability occurring from any incomplete, incorrect, or misleading data, or from any incorrect, incomplete, or misleading use of the data. It is the responsibility of the user to determine whether or not the data is suitable for the intended purpose. Resource constraints: Legal constraints: Use constraints: Restriction code: otherRestrictions Other constraints: Use Constraints: NOAA makes no warranties or representations whatsoever regarding the availability, quality, accuracy, content, completeness or suitability for the user's needs of such information. The services, information, and data made available on the Marine Cadastre web site are provided "as is" without warranties of any kind. These data are intended for coastal and ocean use planning. Not for navigation. https://www.marinecadastre.gov/about/disclaimer.html Resource constraints: Legal constraints: Use limitation: Restriction code: otherRestrictions Other constraints: Distribution Liability: NOAA makes no warranties or representations whatsoever regarding the availability, quality, accuracy, content, completeness or suitability for the user's needs of such information. The services, information, and data made available on the Marine Cadastre web site are provided "as is" without warranties of any kind. These data are intended for coastal and ocean use planning. Not for navigation. https://www.marinecadastre.gov/about/disclaimer.html Resource constraints: Security constraints: Classification: Classification code: unclassified Classification system: missing Handling description: missing Aggregation Info: AggregateInformation: Aggregate Data Set Name: Citation: Title: NOAA Data Management Plan (DMP) Date: unknown Identifier: Identifier: Authority: Citation: Title: NOAA/NMFS/EDM Date: inapplicable Code: 54204 Cited responsible party: Responsible party: Organisation name: inapplicable Contact info: Contact: Online Resource: Online Resource: Linkage: URL: https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/inportserve/waf/noaa/nos/ocm/dmp/pdf/54204.pdf Protocol: WWW:LINK-1.0-http--link Name: NOAA Data Management Plan (DMP) Description: NOAA Data Management Plan for this record on InPort. Function: Online function code: information Role: inapplicable Association Type: Association type code: crossReference Language: eng; US Topic category: Topic category code: environment Topic category: Topic category code: oceans Topic category: Topic category code: planningCadastre Topic category: Topic category code: transportation Extent: Extent: Geographic element: Geographic bounding box: West bound longitude: -132 East bound longitude: -60 South bound latitude: 10.7 North bound latitude: 51.5 Supplemental Information: Bureau Code: 006:48, Program Code: 006:055
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Content info: Feature catalogue description: Compliance code: false Language: Language Code: eng Included with dataset: false Feature types: GIS File Feature catalogue citation: xlink: https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/inport/item/54206 Citation: Title: 2016 AIS Vessel Tracks Date: Date: Date: 2019-01-24 Date type: Date type code: publication
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Distribution info: Distribution: Transfer options: Digital transfer options: Online: Online Resource: Linkage: URL: https://marinecadastre.gov/downloads/data/ais/ais2016/AtlanticTracks_2016AIS.zip Protocol: WWW:LINK-1.0-http--link Name: https://marinecadastre.gov/downloads/data/ais/ais2016/AtlanticTracks_2016AIS.zip Description: missing Function: Online function code: download Transfer options: Digital transfer options: Online: Online Resource: Linkage: URL: https://marinecadastre.gov/downloads/data/ais/ais2016/GreatLakesTracks_2016AIS.zip Protocol: WWW:LINK-1.0-http--link Name: https://marinecadastre.gov/downloads/data/ais/ais2016/GreatLakesTracks_2016AIS.zip Description: missing Function: Online function code: download Transfer options: Digital transfer options: Online: Online Resource: Linkage: URL: https://marinecadastre.gov/downloads/data/ais/ais2016/GulfOfMexicoTracks_2016AIS.zip Protocol: WWW:LINK-1.0-http--link Name: https://marinecadastre.gov/downloads/data/ais/ais2016/GulfOfMexicoTracks_2016AIS.zip Description: missing Function: Online function code: download Transfer options: Digital transfer options: Online: Online Resource: Linkage: URL: https://marinecadastre.gov/downloads/data/ais/ais2016/WestCoastTracks_2016AIS.zip Protocol: WWW:LINK-1.0-http--link Name: https://marinecadastre.gov/downloads/data/ais/ais2016/WestCoastTracks_2016AIS.zip Description: missing Function: Online function code: download Transfer options: Digital transfer options: Online: Online Resource: Linkage: URL: https://marinecadastre.gov/data/ Protocol: WWW:LINK-1.0-http--link Name: https://marinecadastre.gov/data/ Description: Marine Cadastre Data Registry Function: Online function code: download
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Data quality info: Data quality: Scope: Scope: Hierarchy level: Scope code: dataset Report: Completeness commission: Name of measure: Completeness Report Evaluation method description: All known records acquired from the Nationwide Automatic Identification System which includes approximately 58 U.S. ports and 11 coastal areas out to 24 nautical miles offshore. For further information on vessel reporting requirements and participation in the AIS, see carriage requirements in the Code of Federal Regulations, Title 33. Significant null values exist in some fields principally as a result of vessel operator practices. Result: missing Report: Conceptual consistency: Name of measure: Conceptual Consistency Evaluation method description: Content was acquired from original sources – no additional testing was done to cross reference or confirm otherwise the field or geometry values from other sources. All known records acquired from the Nationwide Automatic Identification System which includes approximately 58 U.S. ports and 11 coastal areas out to 24 nautical miles offshore. For further information on vessel reporting requirements and participation in the AIS, see carriage requirements in the Code of Federal Regulations, Title 33. Significant null values exist in some fields principally as a result of vessel operator practices. Result: missing Lineage: Lineage: Statement: missing Process step: Process step: Description: 1. Filter the raw NMEA data to a one-minute sample rate and select a subset of fields using MarineCadastre.gov NMEA to SQL Server processing tools
                  
2. Load filtered records to an SQL Server 2017 database using MarineCadastre.gov NMEA to SQL Server processing tools
                  
3. Conduct quality and completeness check using logging results from the filter and loading process
                  
4. Update the IMO, CallSign, VesselName, Length, Width, VesselType, and Draft from United States Coast Guard AVIS where original AIS values are missing
                  
5. Add a new vessel type code to each record fragment that originated from the United States Coast Guard AVIS
                  
6. Develop track line features directly from the SQL Server database using a customize version of the MarineCadastre.gov Track Builder 3.1 (64-bit version) for each month of broadcast records and for each ocean basin, using a filter setting of 30 minutes and 1 mile
                  
7. Added field for vessel type group and populated based on the vessel type code to vessel group mapping described in attribute metadata
                  
8. Added field for track line duration, and calculated the time in minutes between the start and end time for each track feature
                  
9. Performed visual quality and consistency checks, and removed vessel tracks that were clearly invalid (on land) or beyond the ocean basin
                  
10. REPAIR GEOMETRY to remove features with null geometry Date and time: 2018-01-15T00:00:00 Source: Source: Description: Source Contribution: Daily compressed log files containing original AIS messages in NMEA format for the months of January through December for the United States. Authoritative Vessel Identification Service (AVIS) Vessel Catalog 2018-01-04. Source citation: Citation: Title: 2016 Nationwide Automatic Identification System Date: Date: Date: 2016-12-31 Date type: Date type code: publication Source: Source: Description: Source Contribution: AIS Vessel Tracks 2016: Filtering of AIS messages in NMEA format to an 1 minute interval and conversion of message to track line features by vessel type and ocean basin. Source citation: Citation: Title: AIS Vessel Tracks 2016 Date: Date: Date: 2016-12-31 Date type: Date type code: publication Cited responsible party: Responsible party: Organisation name: inapplicable Contact info: Contact: Online Resource: Online Resource: Linkage: URL: https://marinecadastre.gov/data Protocol: WWW:LINK-1.0-http--link Name: Source Online Linkage Description: URL where the source data were originally accessed. Function: Online function code: information Role: inapplicable
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