VDES

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Background

The aim of VDES is to address the increasing demands on the Automatic Identification System (AIS). This will involve improving the capabilities of the existing AIS channels and the addition of new channels providing higher capacity, data rates and confidence of reception. It is intended that the full operational capability will be achieved by 2021, providing a means of exchange of digital data between ship and ship, ship and shore and ship and satellite using the AIS, Application Specific Messages (ASM) and VHF Data Exchange (VDE).

Project Governance

The development of VDES is being coordinated by the International Association of Marine Aids to Navigation and Lighthouse Authorities (IALA) in consultation with the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), the International Maritime Organization (IMO) and the International Electrotechnical Commission's (IEC).

Related Standards

VDES was proposed by IALA and considered at the World Radiocommunication Conference 2015 (WRC-15). Subsequently the ITU approved the standard for VDES; recommendation ITU‐R M.2092‐0.

At the time of writing, ITU Working Party 5B is in the process of developing a proposal for WRC-19 to consider modifications of the Radio Regulations to enable the satellite component of VDES.