The described invention relates to methods and apparatus enabling a user to check and monitor compliance of a vessel, such as ship or other transportation asset, with compliance rules. Such compliance rules may typically implement government sanctions or similar constraints. The invention also relates to methods and apparatus for tracking such vessels. Some aspects of the invention relate in particular to the monitoring or tracking of such vessels which have a plurality of transceivers on board, each of which is arranged to transmit coordinate messages which may be used remotely to monitor the track of the vessel.
It is known to track a vessel such as a ship by locating one or more transceivers on board the vessel. Each such transceiver typically transmits coordinate messages intermittently or periodically, and these can be received remotely and analysed to derive a position or track of the vessel. Various different types of transceiver, operating using different radio frequencies, over different transmission paths and sending different information encoded in different ways are known, and it is common for a vessel to carry two or more transceivers of different types. Some types of transceivers commonly used on ships and other vessels are discussed in detail below.
It is also known to check vessels such as ships for compliance with compliance rules such as rules based on sanctions lists issued by governments and other bodies.
It would be desirable to provide improved methods and apparatus for tracking vessels carrying multiple transceivers.
It would also be desirable to provide improved methods and apparatus, for example improved computer implemented tools and associated graphical user interfaces, for enabling users having a legal or commercial interest in a vessel to monitor compliance risks.