AtoN Monitoring and Management with Gatehouse Maritime
Gatehouse Maritime’s Aids to Navigation enables monitoring, control, and rapid deployment of both physical and virtual AtoNs. Detect failures, off-position drift, or signal issues instantly, and take immediate action through configurable alerts and two-way communication, all through a scalable, web-based platform.
Enhance Navigational Safety
Aids to Navigation (AtoN) Management provides comprehensive control and oversight of both physical and virtual AtoNs. It enables real-time monitoring, alerting, and two-way communication helping maritime authorities improve safety, reduce manual inspections, and respond quickly to failures or drift.
Key capabilities include:
- Real-time monitoring of AIS-equipped buoys and other AtoNs
- Rapid deployment and configuration of virtual AtoNs
- Two-way messaging, including scheduled broadcasts
- Alerts for signal loss, off-position drift, or threshold violations (e.g., battery level)
- Centralized transmission of Safety Messages, Geographic Notices, and Application-Specific Messages (AIS types 6, 8, and 21)
- Color-coded AtoN status overview with filtering and map-based controls
- Customizable user alerts, geofencing, and group-specific notifications
For full functionality, including map-based visualization and integration with other surveillance tools, the AtoN module runs as part of the Maritime Domain Monitor (MDM) platform. It can also be accessed as a standalone, cloud-based application or via API, depending on your system architecture.
Where Aids to Navigation Management Makes a Difference
There are multiple use cases involving virtual AtoNs:
- Dynamic Routing for Temporary Hazards:
When temporary hazards such as floating debris, uncharted shoals, or exclusion zones due to construction arise, virtual AtoNs can be quickly established to guide vessels safely around these obstacles, ensuring maritime safety is maintained in ever-changing conditions. - Emergency Situations:
In the event of an emergency, such as a ship grounding or an oil spill, virtual AtoNs can be rapidly deployed to mark the danger area, direct vessels away from the hazard, and assist in coordinating rescue operations effectively. - Environmental Protection and Monitoring:
Virtual AtoNs can be deployed to mark and protect environmentally sensitive areas like marine reserves or protected habitats. They also help enforce no-go zones or speed restrictions to minimize environmental impact and preserve delicate ecosystems. - Traffic Separation and Congestion Management:
In congested waterways, virtual AtoNs can be used to create virtual traffic separation schemes. These help reduce the risk of collisions by managing traffic flow, ensuring that vessels navigate safely through busy channels. - Support for Unmanned Vessels (USVs):
With the growing use of unmanned surface vehicles, virtual AtoNs are essential in guiding these vessels through complex maritime environments, relying on electronic signals to navigate and avoid obstacles safely. - AtoN Maintenance and Monitoring:
You need assurance that your AtoNs (both physical and virtual) are functioning correctly and consistently transmitting the intended signals, ensuring reliable navigation and safety.
Who can benefit from managing and monitoring Aids to Navigation?
Core AtoN Features
-
Manage both physical and virtual AtoNs
-
View and search all AtoNs in an interactive interface
-
Toggle visibility and zoom to AtoNs on map
-
Color-coded indicators show status and alerts
Virtual AtoN Tools
-
Create and deploy virtual or synthetic AtoNs
-
Define location via map or coordinates
-
Set broadcast interval, schedule, and AIS message type
-
Configure failure/warning timeouts
-
Select which physical shore station (PSS) to use
Physical AtoN Monitoring
-
Monitor signal status and transmission intervals
-
Configure off-position alarms and severity
-
Set alert recipients based on user roles
-
Detect and respond to drift, signal loss, or inactivity
Messaging & Communication
-
Send Safety, Geographic, or Application-Specific Messages
-
Support for AIS message types 6, 8, and 21
-
Addressed and broadcast messaging via MMSI
-
Message scheduling with start/end times
-
View full message history (sent, scheduled, received)
Flexible Deployment to Fit Your Workflow
Explore how AtoN Management works alongside our other maritime monitoring and decision-support tools below.
Maritime Domain Monitor
Maritime Domain Monitor
Maritime Domain Monitor brings together key maritime data sources in one platform enabling full situational awareness and informed operational decisions.
Replay and Reporting
Replay and Reporting
Learn from history, prepare for the future, and stay in control of the present with powerful tools for maritime data analysis and real-time oversight.
Event Alerting
Event Alerting
With Event Alerting, you can configure defined areas for monitoring, set custom event triggers, and automate follow-up actions for efficient maritime oversight.
AIS Network Monitoring
AIS Network Monitoring
Monitor your AIS network in real time to detect disruptions, maintain data integrity, and receive automatic alerts for unusual activity.
Advanced Analytics
Advanced Analytics
Predict vessel movements, traffic trends, and potential risks with analytics powered by historical data and intelligent machine learning.
Extended Vessel Information
Extended Vessel Information
Extended Vessel Information offers a complete vessel database with everything from basic ship details to ownership history, registry records, and integrity status.
Data Mediation
Data Mediation
Data Mediation helps AIS network operators manage incoming data from diverse sources, ensuring clean, structured delivery to systems and partners.
Let’s get in touch
Joel Box
Commercial Director (US)
Do you want do know more about Aids to Navigation Management?
I’ll answer any questions you might have and show you how our solutions can benefit your operations.