Union ministry of shipping will soon implement a national automatic identification system (AIS) to safeguard the nation's coastline, said shipping minister GK Vasan.
The system will trace each vessel entering the Indian waters and monitor its movements in the outer seas," said Vasan, launching a project for the promotion of tourism in light houses in the city on Saturday.
AIS is an internationally standardised communication protocol launched by the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) in 2004 to channelises communication between ship-ship, ship-shore and shore- ship. In India, the directorate of light houses will execute the system.
"It provides information of ship identity, capacity, expected directions and travel history and safety-related details. Other vessels fitted with AIS transponders will be able to share these information with each other and Indian shore stations," deputy director general of light houses and light ships KK Braroo told TOI.
The new system will become opeartional along with navigational telex services, a simple communication technology carrying messages with vessels passing within the 200 nautical mile of the shore region, will come in to effect with in a year.
Vasan also added that the government has decided to set up a national maritime heritage museum at Mamallapuram with an estimated cost of Rs 50 crores and to develop Marina light house in Chennai at a cost of Rs 5 crores for tourism promotion.
Vasan inaugurated an exhibition showcasing the history of light houses at the passenger terminal building of Chennai port and released two catalogues on the history of the Mamallapuram and Cuddalore light houses.