2016 Vessel Transit Counts by Type

Automatic Identification Systems (AIS) are a navigation safety device that transmits and monitors the location and characteristics of many vessels in U.S. and international waters in real-time. In the U.S. the Coast Guard and industry collect AIS data, which can also be used for a variety of coastal planning purposes. NOAA and BOEM have worked jointly to re-task and make available some of the most important records from the U.S. Coast Guard's national network of AIS receivers. This dataset represents annual vessel transit counts summarized at a 100 m by 100 m geographic area. A single transit is counted each time a vessel track passes through, starts, or stops within a 100 m grid cell.

This record represents the metadata for each of these vessel types: Cargo, Fishing, Passenger, Pleasure Craft and Sailing, Tanker, and Tug and Towing.

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.

This record represents the metadata for each of these vessel types: Cargo, Fishing, Passenger, Pleasure Craft and Sailing, Tanker, and Tug and Towing.

Design, development, and processing provided by: The Baldwin Group Inc. and RPS Group Inc.

Reference System: Web Mercator Auxiliary Sphere

Horizontal Datum: D_WGS_1984

Linear Unit: Meter (1.0)

Angular Unit: Degree (0.0174532925199433)

Geographic extent: 132W to 60W, 10.7S to 51.5N

Users must assume responsibility to determine the appropriate use of these data. DATA SHOULD NOT BE USED FOR LEGALLY BINDING APPLICATIONS.

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

Spatial Representation: Grid

Dimension Count: 3

Cell Geometry: Point

Transformation Parameters Available: No

Axis1 Dimension Type: Row

Axis1 Size: varies

Axis2 Dimension Type: Column

Axis2 Size: varies

Axis3 Dimension Type: Vertical

Axis3 Size: 1

None

These data are intended for coastal and ocean planning

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

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.

Maximum scale of intended use is 1:80,000. Positional accuracy reflects the specifications and methods of the original data producer and has not been modified for the generation of this product.

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.

Tested through visual inspection and through the analysis of summary statistics on field values.