Published on Australian Maritime Safety Authority (https://www.amsa.gov.au)

Operate a non-shipborne AIS (base station or AtoN) (form 234)

Overview

Use this form to apply for a licence to operate a non-shipborne automatic identification system (AIS) in Australian waters. This includes: 

• new base stations 
• physical, synthetic or virtual aids to navigation (AtoNs). 

Find out more about non-shipborne automatic identification systems.

Want to carry an AIS onboard a vessel? Find out how to apply for a shipborne AIS.

Eligibility criteria

To be eligible, you must show:

• a need for the AIS unit 
• how it will support maritime safety.

Most applications come from port or government authorities.

How to complete this form

Before you start, you need to gather some information to support your application.

Find IALA mark codes

You must include a mark code for all physical, virtual and synthetic AtoNs. 

General codes (all AtoNs)

Code	Type of AtoN
0	Default/Not specified
1	Reference point
2	RACON
3	Fixed structures off-shore (example: oil platforms, wind farms)*
4	Emergency wreck marking buoy

*Use this code for an obstruction fitted with an AIS AtoN 

Fixed AtoN

Code	Type of AtoN
5	Light, without sectors
6	Light, with sectors
7	Leading Light Front
8	Leading Light Rear
9	Beacon, Cardinal N
10	Beacon, Cardinal E
11	Beacon, Cardinal S
12	Beacon, Cardinal W
13	Beacon, Port hand
14	Beacon, Starboard hand
15	Beacon, Preferred Channel port hand
16	Beacon, Preferred Channel starboard hand
17	Beacon, Isolated danger
18	Beacon, Safe water
19	Beacon, Special mark

Floating AtoN

Code	Type of AtoN
20	Cardinal Mark N
21	Cardinal Mark E
22	Cardinal Mark S
23	Cardinal Mark W
24	Port hand Mark
25	Starboard hand Mark
26	Preferred Channel Port hand
27	Preferred Channel Starboard hand
28	Isolated danger
29	Safe Water
30	Special Mark
31	Light Vessel/LAN BY/ Rigs

Calculate AtoN dimensions

Dimensions are required for all physical and synthetic AtoNs only. 

Virtual AtoNs must be programmed with zero values (default) (A = B = C = D = 0).

(Reference ITU-R M.1371-5 for full technical requirements)

Floating AtoNs (larger than 2m x 2m)

• Use approximate circular dimensions
• A=B=C=D ≠ 0 (not equal to) 
• Reference point is the centre of the circle 
• Orientation is not transmitted

Due to the fact that the orientation of the floating AtoN is not transmitted. The reference point for reported position is in the centre of the circle.

Fixed or floating AtoNs (2m x 2m or smaller) 

• A=B=C=D=1.  
• Reference point is the centre of the circle

Fixed or off-shore structures

• Use accurate dimensions
• Orientation (A) should point to true north.
• Applies to: 
  • Code 3: Fixed offshore structures
  • Code 31: Floating offshore structures (example: rigs). 

Virtual AtoNs and reference points

• Dimensions should be set to zero (A=B=C=D=0)
• Virtual/pseudo AtoN target flag is set to one
• This should also be the case, when transmitting “reference point” information.

Reference points

Find the reference point for reported position or dimension of an AtoN.

 

Point	Number of bits	Bit fields	Distance (m)
A	9	21 - 29	0 - 511 (511 - 511m or greater)
B	9	12 - 20	0 - 511 (511 - 511m or greater)
C	6	6 - 11	0 - 63 (63 - 63m or greater)
D	6	0 - 5	0 - 63 (63 - 63m or greater)

Attach product specifications

You must attach product specifications to your application. 

Base stations and physical AtoN

AIS equipment and antenna product specification

Synthetic AtoN

• Synthetic overlay to an existing physical AtoN: no product specification required.
• New physical Aton with a synthetic to complement: AIS equipment and antenna product specifications required.

Virtual AtoN

No AIS equipment or antenna product specifications required. 

If you're applying to operate multiple virtual AtoNs for the same base station, you only need to fill out one application form. Attach a spreadsheet listing the details of all the virtual AtoNs to your submission.

Submitting the form

Email the completed application and product specifications to: aismanagement@amsa.gov.au

If you need help accessing the form, contact us.