System for augmenting the coverage, information and robustness of automatic identification devices of ships

A system for augmenting the range of an existing Automatic Identification System (AIS)-type system, said system comprising:

• communication means to exchange information between the various elements forming said system,
• one or more land-based processing centres comprising:
• communication interfaces for the exchange of information with different users, the reception of information from reference ships, and from coastal stations, and for the broadcasting of consolidated and extended information after processing to said reference ships and coastal stations,
• a set of processors suitable for merging information of different types,
• one or more databases,
• a memory for storing information with a view to its processing,
• the one or more coastal stations, the one or more coastal stations being linked with the one or more processing centres by the communication means, allowing for an exchange of information,
• one or more ships elected as the reference ships for a given time period, said reference ships communicating with the processing centres by satellite means, and with ships in VHF range,
• ships provided at least with means for receiving information broadcast by a reference ship located in VHF range or reference coastal stations in VHF range.