International Journal

on Marine Navigation

and Safety of Sea Transportation

Volume 3

Number 2

June 2009

127

1 INTRODUCTION

RIS (River Information Services) is a system that

aims at the implementation of river traffic infor-

mation services co-ordinating planning and logistics

of transport.

RIS consists of advanced functions and services

bringing operational advantages (e.g. immediate

navigational decisions) and strategic ones (e.g. re-

sources planning) for its potential users – inland

shipping administrations – captains, terminal man-

agers or lock operators.

Modern radio-communications and information

technologies are used in inland transport. Ships are

equipped with portable computers which have ac-

cess to the Internet via a mobile telephone network.

Besides, satellite positioning systems, electronic

charts and inland AIS transponders are being devel-

oped and implemented.

Shore installations include radar stations with tar-

get tracking functions and ship reporting systems

with interconnected databases.

Several technological innovations connected with

RIS have been introduced in the sector of inland

navigation [1]:

− electronic navigational charts (ENC) for display-

ing information on fairway situation and ship po-

sitions,

− Internet applications and inland ECDIS for mes-

sages for captains,

− electronic reporting systems for collecting data on

voyage-related information (ship and cargo),

− vessel tracking and locating, such as automatic

identification systems (AIS) for automatic report-

ing of ship’s position.

2 BASIC FUNCTIONS AND OBJECTIVES OF

ELECTRONIC SHIP REPORTING IN RIS

Functions and objectives of electronic ship reporting

in inland navigation have been developed in line

with the principles which aim to [4]:

− facilitate electronic data interchange between rel-

evant authorities of the EU member states and in-

land navigation operators,

− use standardized notifications in communications

between a ship and management centre in order

to ensure compliance with mandatory rules in the

adopted standards,

− use recognized international lists of codes and

classifications,

− use unique European ship identification numbers.

The tasks of electronic ship reporting in the RIS

system are as follows [3]:

1 Facilitation of data structure transfer in conformi-

ty with adopted EDI (Electronic Data Inter-

change) standards.

2 Exchange of information between inland naviga-

tion partners.

3 Sending dynamic information on a voyage at the

same time to many participants.

4 Consistent use of the UN/EDIFAC standard

(Electronic Data Interchange for Administration,

Commerce and Transport) within the EU, accord-

Electronic Reporting of Ships in the RIS System

A. Lisaj

Maritime University of Szczecin, Szczecin, Poland

ABSTRACT: This article presents the principles of data transmission and processing in a module of duplex

transmission of messages as required by ship reporting in the RIS (River Information Services) system. Tech-

nical specification of messages intended for ship commanders is analyzed. Data standards in harmonized Riv-

er Information Services on inland waterways are presented. Furthermore, the analysis covers message struc-

tures, encrypting in XML format for electronic reporting by ships.

Finally, the author evaluates the

advantages of introducing the RIS system for the safety of inland vessel traffic and the effect of the system on

environmental protection.

128

ing to its directive on data transmission proce-

dures UNTDID (United Nations Trade Data In-

terchange Directory)

5 Inland traffic management.

6 Transfer of complete information on locks and

bridges and calamity situation.

7 Loading / unloading management and container

terminal operation monitoring.

8 Border crossing control.

9 Services to passengers of inland ships.

3 PRINCIPLES OF DATA TRANSMISSION

AND PROCESSING IN THE RIS SYSTEM.

Technical specifications defining the principles for

data transmission of ship reporting in the RIS com-

ply with the relevant EU directive [2].

The directive precisely covers such issues as:

− introduction of Standard Message Types (SMT));

− criteria and principles for data transmission -

UN/EDIFACT;

− specifications of the message type directory

EDMD (Edition 98.B, recommended by IMO);

− specification of the code list (CL);

− introduction of data standardization elements

(Trade Data Elements Directory (TDED)).

3.1 Data transmission standards in the RIS system.

In conformity with the EDIFACT standard, data

processing in the RIS system makes use of XML

format (Extended Mark-up Language) [6] in which:

− EDIFACT and XML utilize the same data struc-

ture and code list.

− presently these versions are being tested:

ebXML, eDocs and BICS 2.0.

3.2 Classifications and code lists in the EDIFACT

messages.

The following classifications shall be used in inland

electronic ship reporting [3,6]:

1 Vessel and convoy type

2 Official ship number (OFS)

3 IMO ship identification number (IMO)

4 ERI (Electronic Reporting International) ship

identification number

5 UN Dangerous Goods number (UNDG)

6 International Maritime Dangerous Goods Code

(IMDG)

7 United Nations codes for the representation of the

names of countries

8 United Nations code for trade and transport loca-

tions (UN/LOCODE)

9 Fairway section code

10 Terminal code

11 Freight container size and type code (ISO)

12 Container identification code (ISO)

13 Package type code

14 Nature of cargo

The following table (tabl.1) defines the usage of

the messages:

Table 1. RIS function and procedures of the messages

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Messages in the procedures

RIS Service and Function Ship-to-authority Authority-to-ship Authority-to-authority

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Traffic management ERINOT (VES) ERIRSP ERINOT (PAS)

ERINOT (CAR) Notices to skippers

Calamity abatement ERINOT (VES) ERIRSP ERINOT (PAS)

ERINOT (CAR) Notices to skippers PAXLST

PAXLST

Transport management ERINOT (VES) ERIRSP ERINOT (PAS)

ERINOT (CAR) Notices to skippers CUSCAR, CUSDEC

CUSCAR, CUSDEC

Statistics ERINOT (VES)

ERINOT (CAR)

PAXLST

CUSCAR, CUSDEC

Waterway charges ERINOT (VES) ERIRSP

ERINOT (CAR)

Border control PAXLST ERIRSP PAXLST

Customs services CUSCAR, CUSDEC ERIRSP CUSCAR, CUSDEC

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________

129

The following messages shall be used in electron-

ic ship reporting on inland waterways [6]:

1 ERINOT, means “ERI Notification Message”,

message with the following types:

− Transport notification from vessel to authority

(identifier “VES”), from ship to shore

− Transport notification from carrier to authority

(“CAR”), from shore to shore

− Passage notification (“PAS”), from authority to

authority and the following functions to show

what can be expected:

2 ERIRSP, means “ERI Response Message”,

− PAXLST, means the “Passenger List Mes-

sage” , including passengers, crew and service

personnel.

− CUSCAR, means the “Customs Cargo Report

Message”,

− CUSDEC, means the “Customs Declaration

Message”.

The reporting procedure shall always start with

the ERINOT message and send additional data by

the PAXLST, CUSCAR and CUSDEC messages.

3.3 Methods of remote data transmission in

electronic ship reporting

The following communications means have been

proposed for use in message transmission within

electronic ship reporting [5] :

1 VFH radio station.

2 ATIS (Automatic Transmitter Identification Sys-

tem) identifying ship’s calling, e.g. while ap-

proaching a lock, in a computer-based system of

traffic management.

3 inland AIS transponder (Automatic Identification

System).

4 DATA STANDARDS IN MESSAGES FOR

SHIP SKIPPERS

Navigation messages, with navigation information

for inland skippers (fig.1) about a geographical ob-

ject, have the following information sections [4]:

1 Identification of the message.

2 Fairway and traffic related message.

3 Water level related messages as:

− Water level messages;

− Least sounded depth - messages;

− Vertical clearance - messages;

− Barrage status - messages;

− Discharge messages;

− Regime messages;

− Predicted water level - messages;

− Least sounded predicted depth - messages;

− Predicted discharge - messages.

4 Ice messages.

5 SUMMARY

Electronic ship reporting in the transmission of mes-

sage for ship skippers and inland navigation man-

agement centre enables the RIS system achieve three

basic goals:

1 to enhance the safety of transport - minimize the

number of:

− injured persons,

− fatal casualties,

− untypical situations in a voyage;

2 to make transport efficient:

− maximize the capacity of waterways,

− maximize the use of ship cargo capacity,

− minimize voyage time,

− reduce work effort of RIS users,

− reduce transport costs,

− reduce fuel consumption,

− ensure efficient and cost-effective connections

for intermodal transport,

− make efficiently operating harbours and termi-

nals accessible;

3 to make transport environment-friendly:

− reduce threats to the environment,

− reduce pollution.

The development of standardized RIS interfaces

will make it possible to generate wide-range trans-

parent information processes and smooth data ex-

change between all participants of inland navigation.

130

Fig.1 Structure of the Notices to Skippers

LITERATURE

1. Reporting for ships arriving in and/or departing from ports

of the Member States of the Community, Directive

2002/6/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council

of 18.02.2002.

2. Vessel traffic monitoring and information system on inland

waterways. Directive 2002/59/EC of the European Parlia-

ment and of the Council of 27.06. 2002.

3. Guidelines for planning, implementation and operation of

River Information Services. Official Journal Commission

Directive (EC) no 414/2007 of 13 .03.2007.

4. Technical specifications for ship traffic management on

harmonized River Information Services (RIS) on inland wa-

terways. Official Journal Commission Directive (EC) no

415/2007 of 13.03 2007.

5. Technical specifications including: inland Automatic Iden-

tification System (AIS) and International Standards for

Electronic Ship Reporting in Inland Navigation. Commis-

sion Directive (EC) no 416/2007 of 20.03.2007.

6 Guidelines and Recommendations for River Information

Services United Nations Trade Data Interchange Directory

(UNTDID) for EDIFACT. Official Journal No.5 Commis-

sion Directive TRANS/SC.3.04.2007.