Global satellite navigation systems such as GPS enable precise tracking of vessels worldwide and pervasive global networks such as the Internet allow sharing of this information almost instantaneously between locations anywhere on Earth. This ability to monitor vessels globally is a topic of current debate among those concerned with national security, those who are mainly interested in safety at sea and those who advocate for privacy rights at the personal, commercial and national level. In this paper we discuss two maritime self-reporting systems, namely the Automatic Identification System and Long Range Identification and Tracking, which have given rise to this debate. The benefits and drawbacks of each are discussed with safety, security and privacy in mind. Also, some connections are drawn between these systems and Mobile Ad Hoc Networks and Radio Frequency Identification where security and privacy are also of current interest.
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