In support of U.S. Northern Command (NORTHCOM) and the U.S. Department of Defense Counter-Narcoterrorism Technology Program Office, and in collaboration with the U.S. Embassy in Mexico and SEMAR (the Mexican Navy), Volpe Center engineers are providing technical expertise and systems deployment support to enhance Mexico's maritime vessel-tracking capabilities.
Volpe Center engineers, along with SEMAR technical teams, have successfully deployed Automatic Identification System (AIS) sensors at 23 facilities along Mexico's Gulf and Pacific coasts. The Volpe Center also provided technical support and systems training to the Mexican Navy, building on expert knowledge gained from previous deployments of tracking systems for the Panama Canal Commission, the St. Lawrence Seaway, the U.S. Coast Guard, and the U.S. Navy. The Volpe team conducted site surveys, site design, and onsite installation support for each site. During site installations, the Volpe team also recommended best practices for safety, site-equipment configuration, installation, and long-term systems sustainment.
Currently, each of the sites is providing its local ship traffic information to the Volpe Center-developed Maritime Safety and Security Information System (MSSIS). Moreover, information from all 23 individual sites is consolidated to form a unified national vessel traffic movement picture. As Mexico continues to enhance its maritime domain awareness capabilities, it joins over 65 nations freely contributing their data to MSSIS, enhancing situational awareness and increasing safety and security worldwide.
