Maritime Safety and Security Information System

 The Maritime Safety and Security Information System (MSSIS) is an electronic system for collection and integration of vessel position and related maritime information from participating nations worldwide.  It was developed by the Volpe National Transportation Systems Center of the US Department of Transportation.  Member nations share data from the Automatic Identification System (AIS), coastal radar, and other marine systems.  MSSIS combines the data through the Volpe “Transview” system into a single secure, but unclassified, stream.  Participants can view near real-time data from around the world in a wide range of geographic display options, including text, photo overlays, electronic charts, and Google Earth.  The goal of the system is to improve global maritime safety, security, commerce, and environmental stewardship.  MSSIS is used by over 50 nations and, as of 2008, was tracking over 14,000 ships in a near real-time environment.  It is used for pilot navigation display in the Panama Canal and as a vessel traffic monitor in the Saint Lawrence Seaway.  The Columbia River Pilots are utilizing it as a prototype pilot and shore-side display system.  It is also utilized as an operational tool in a number of ports throughout Central America.  When integrated with other databases, it can be utilized for tasks such as oil spill modeling, accident investigation, and buoy positioning.  To protect the data from unauthorized use, MSSIS enables password-protected, Internet-based sharing of data using encrypted data links.  MSSIS was the winner of the Innovations in American Government Award for 2008 from the Ash Institute for Democratic Governance and Innovation for its efforts in enhancing levels of safety and economic stability in the global seas.