The regulation requires that AIS shall:
- Provide information –
Including the ship’s identity, type, position, course, speed, navigational status and other safety-related information – automatically to appropriately equipped shore stations, other ships and aircraft;
- Receive automatically such information from similarly fitted ships;
- Monitor and track ships;
- Exchange data with shore-based facilities.
The regulation applies to ships built on or after 1 July 2002 and to ships engaged on international voyages constructed before 1 July 2002, according to the following timetable:
- Passenger ships, not later than 1 July 2003;
- Tankers, not later than the first survey for safety equipment on or after 1 July 2003;
- Ships, other than passenger ships and tankers, of 50,000 gross tonnage and upwards, not later than 1 July 2004.
An amendment adopted by the Diplomatic Conference on Maritime Security in December 2002 states that, additionally, ships of 300 gross tonnage and upwards but less than 50,000 gross tonnage, are required to fit AIS not later than the first safety equipment survey after 1 July 2004 or by 31 December 2004, whichever occurs earlier. (The original regulation adopted in 2000 exempted these vessels.)
