AIS (Automatic Identification System)

AIS is a vessel-tracking system that automatically broadcasts a ship's position, course, speed, and identity via VHF radio. Charter guests encounter it through a yacht's onboard electronics and hear skippers reference it during navigation. The system allows other vessels and coastal authorities to identify and locate boats in real-time for collision avoidance and maritime traffic management. Most chartered yachts above a certain tonnage carry AIS as a mandatory safety feature.