summary: Global ship traffic, identifying the number of times a vessel occupied each square kilometer during a one year period: August 2011 through mid-August 2012. The Automatic Identification System (AIS) is an internationally-recognized shipboard broadcast system that communicates information to shore-based stations and other AIS-equipped ships. The U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) has developed rules applicable to both U.S. and foreign vessels that require owners and operators of most commercial vessels to install and use AIS to increase security and safety of maritime transportation. Data were obtained jointly by PacIOOS (J. Potemra), SOEST/ORE of the University of Hawaii (E. Roth), and the Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument (PNMN) (D. Graham) through a one-time purchase from ORBCOMM LLC. Due to vendor constraints, release of the raw data is limited. We distribute map imagery only, via Web Map Service (WMS).
rights: These data were generated as part of an academic research project, and the principal investigator, Jim Potemra (jimp@hawaii.edu), asks to be informed of intent for scientific use and appropriate acknowledgment given in any publications arising therefrom. The data are provided free of charge, without warranty of any kind.
funding: The Pacific Islands Ocean Observing System (PacIOOS), funded through the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), is a Regional Association within the U.S. Integrated Ocean Observing System (IOOS). PacIOOS is coordinated by the University of Hawaii School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology (SOEST).
