The ocean is getting louder - digitally. With thousands of vessels, offshore wind farms, and smart buoys competing for bandwidth, radio link congestion is a massive challenge. That is why the February 2026 introduction of AIS Message 28 is such a massive milestone. By cutting the data footprint of maritime aids to navigation by 50%, it clears the waves for what matters most: safe, efficient navigation.
There are 28 different message types. AIS doesn't just broadcast a single signal. It divides the maritime world into crucial data pillars:
Dynamic: Where is the vessel? (GPS position, course, speed)
Static & Voyage-related: Who is the vessel? (Name, IMO number, dimensions), Where is it going? (Destination, ETA, max draft)
The Workhorses – Messages 1, 2 & 3
They transmit the dynamic data for the commercial fleet.
Interval: Ultra-frequent! Automatically sent every 2 to 10 seconds depending on speed and course changes (every 3 minutes at anchor).
Purpose: Pure, real-time collision avoidance from ship to ship.
The Commercial Context – Message 5
It couples the vessel's identity (Name, Call Sign) with its destination profile (Destination, ETA, max draft).
Interval: Every 6 minutes or upon manual update.
Purpose: The foundation for predictive ETA calculations, port authority planning, and global supply chain tracking.
The Life Saver – Message 14
Triggered immediately by AIS-SARTs (Search and Rescue Transmitters) and MOB (Man-Overboard) beacons.
Broadcasts instant, high-priority alerts like SART ACTIVE or MOB ACTIVE directly onto the radar plotters of nearby ships.
Purpose: Immediate localized rescue by surrounding vessels before official coast guard forces can even arrive.
The Ocean Tracker – Message 27
Engineered specifically for Satellite AIS reception.
The data bits are highly compressed to bypass signal collision and atmospheric latency in orbit.
Purpose: Ensures seamless tracking across the open ocean where terrestrial coastal stations are blind.
The 2026 Game Changer – Message 28
The Big Update: Why did the industry introduce a new message? The legacy Message 21 used for maritime aids to navigation used to block two radio slots simultaneously. Message 28 slashes this footprint in half to a single slot, drastically optimizing VHF data link efficiency.
The Superpowers of Message 28
Dynamic Areas: Authorities can instantly broadcast precise geometries (polygons, circles) to map out wind farms, aquaculture, or shifting ice fields.
Mobile AtoNs: It live-tracks the exact speed and course of drifting or purposely mobile safety objects.
Instant Health Check: Instantly flags if a physical buoy is damaged or off-station.