AISbeeldvorming

The term "AISbeeldvorming" (literally "AIS imaging" or "AIS visualization") is used to describe the processes and products that convert Automatic Identification System (AIS) data into visual representations and analytical outputs. AIS is an automated tracking technology used on ships and by vessel traffic services to transmit identification, position, course, speed and other voyage-related information.

AISbeeldvorming encompasses collection, preprocessing and visualization techniques that turn raw AIS messages into maps, trajectories, heat maps, density charts and time-series displays. Data sources include terrestrial AIS receivers, satellite AIS, and integrated sensor systems (radar, optical imagery). Common processing steps are data cleaning, track reconstruction, interpolation, and fusion with auxiliary data such as bathymetry, weather and port schedules.

Applications include maritime traffic monitoring, collision avoidance, search and rescue coordination, port and fisheries management, environmental monitoring (pollution tracking), and maritime research. Visual outputs support operational decision-making, anomaly detection and historical analysis of vessel behavior.

Limitations and challenges involve incomplete coverage (especially in remote areas), message loss or delays, AIS spoofing and deliberate deactivation, and data quality issues. Legal and privacy considerations affect the use and sharing of AIS-derived visualizations, particularly for commercial or security-sensitive contexts.

Related fields include maritime domain awareness, geospatial information systems (GIS), remote sensing, and vessel traffic services (VTS).