summary: Ship traffic for the State of Hawaii, identifying the number of times a vessel occupied each square kilometer during the period 2008-2009. 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. PacIOOS obtained AIS data from the USCG Nationwide AIS (NAIS) project. While specific times for ship locations were redacted, the data represent a cumulation over the two-year period 2008-2009 from which ship frequency was computed at 1-km resolution.
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).