VHF Data Exchange System (VDES): an enabling technology for maritime communications

This work presents an overview of the radio interface of VHF Data Exchange System (VDES), which is currently on its way to become an ITU standard supported by International Association of Marine Aids to Navigation and Lighthouse Authorities. VDES includes the already existing collision avoidance tracking system Automatic Identification System and the messaging system Application Specific Messages. Additionally, a new third component for digital maritime communications of any kind, named VHF Data Exchange is included. On the one hand, there is a traditional terrestrial component, on the other hand, a satellite communication link is also envisioned partly by the same spectrum usage. In this article, focus is given towards the technical design aspects and challenges of this hybrid communications transmission scheme.