The industry's recognized authority for design, engineering and application of equipment and services in the global ocean community
Issue link: http://sea-technology.epubxp.com/i/477967
12 st / March 2015 www.sea-technology.com of the application and related compo- nents made loading the application into a user's Web browser slow due to a technical browser limitation. This was good feedback in the early days and pre- sented a big challenge to overcome to deliver a product and service level that their customers had come to expect. In the end, exactEarth implemented Web application optimization processes to precompile and bundle the ShipView application into one single fle, which loads virtually instantaneously within a user's Web browser. Since this stream- lining was achieved, ShipView users have experienced seamless and fast ac- cess to global maritime domain infor- mation and ship tracking. With more than 150 custom- ers worldwide are already using the ShipView platform exactEarth is conf- dent that users are embracing it because it offers a unique simplicity when deal- ing with very complex data. ShipView requires no integration or upgrades with existing systems, and, along with a familiar set of map layers and naviga- tion tools, the platform is out-of-the-box ready to help authorities around the world build a full operating picture for maritime domain awareness. ShipView: A Technical Look exactEarth ShipView allows users to see the ship positions produced by their exactAIS data service and plots them on a familiar set of map layers to enhance the viewing experience. As a hosted Web application, users can access ShipView from anywhere, anytime and on any mobile device to quickly view all maritime traffc. With a rich set of fl- tering and analysis tools, ShipView al- lows for maritime operational decisions to be made easier than ever before. ShipView provides customers with the ultimate in data access by plotting the latest ship positions and instantly displaying pertinent ship information, including access to 90 days of historical track data for each ship and its picture from the extensive built-in ship photo database. These data improve maritime monitoring of ship activity, providing dynamic and up-to-date vessel data ac- tivity with longer look-back periods. ShipView is built with a robust flter- ing capability that allows users to fne tune their searches to retrieve only the ships that meet their specifed criteria to complete analysis quickly and gain situ- ational awareness more effciently. Fa- miliar tools like bookmarks, a gazetteer of the world's bodies of water and sin- gle-line searching make it very easy for customers to get started with ShipView immediately. Customers can also enjoy a tremen- dous level of customization available within ShipView. Adding external map layers, such as those from the OGC or ArcGIS, is extremely easy and provides users with complete interoperabil- ity and extensiveness of data. Sharing ShipView information within an orga- nization is also a key feature, with the ability to download and save informa- tion to improve off-line review and al- low for loading of information into cus- tomers' existing software or databases. Conclusion ShipView provides a full featured platform to enhance maritime domain monitoring, ship tracking, and interop- erability with external GIS data sources and applications. The ability to create custom views based on simple or com- plex rules and flters quickly enhances situational awareness and improves the decision-making process. Further, ShipView offers 90-day look-back for historical information, which helps users to better understand traffc patterns and behaviors. exactEarth employs multiple techniques to improve overall data qual- ity, including erroneous position flter, historical spike removal, and ship infor- mation verifcation to create the most accurate and comprehensive view into maritime activities, as opposed to sim- ply relaying standard AIS broadcasts. ShipView was designed with four major factors in mind: speed, fexibil- ity, interoperability and global support. These pillars are what make ShipView such a unique and important tool for performing complex marine activities. Maritime operational staff are faced with critical decisions daily and it is im- perative that they receive and can query the most accurate and comprehensive shipping data available, not only quick- ly, but also in a way that is easy to con- sume and readily understood. n Graham Stickler has been involved in the geospatial industry for 30 years, having worked around the world in both the public and private sec- tors designing, building and implementing geo- spatial-based solutions. He is currently vice president of product manage- ment at exactEarth, based in Cambridge, Ontario, Canada, where he has been for the last three years.