Automatic Identification System (AIS) is a VHF based system which is designated to enhance the safety of life and goods at sea by also assuring navigational and environmental improvements. The coverage of national AIS networks are limited because of many reasons (geography, weather conditions, insufficient number of stations etc.) and due to these limitations relevant authorities have difficulties to track and manage the marine traffic properly; causing safety and security weaknesses at sea which also means increased threats of accidents, illegal fishing, immigration & smuggling and water pollution.
MASS is a cost-effective, compact-solar powered Micro AIS Shore Station; which is easy to set-up & maintain with lower power consumption rates thanks to its innovative AIS engine. MASS increases safety and security of coasts by enabling advanced monitoring of sea shores, inland waters & lakes and thus eliminating blind spots which are mainly out of the coverage of conventional AIS networks.
The objective of this proposal is to prepare a proper feasibility study, which will pave the way to successful introduction and diffusion of MASS into global market and maximize its impact in order to better contribute to European transport and mobility goals defined in 2011 Transport White Paper of European Commission.
The feasibility study fully confirms the soundness of our technology solution and business proposal. Our market research draws the picture of the AIS Shore Station Expansion market as of a huge but mostly untapped opportunity. Complexity of existing systems, high costs of ownership, low consumer awareness and difficulty of integrating disparate systems still a down side for related authorities and end users from embracing such network expansion. In other words, consumers are still waiting for a comprehensive product that would be really cost effective.
