Maritime GIS and Coastal Security Management Training Course

Participants can select and document coordinate reference systems suitable for coastal and maritime analysis.

• WGS 84 coordinates, latitude-longitude notation and positional accuracy implications
• Projected coordinate systems selected for distance, area and coastal engineering measurements
• Datum transformations assessed before combining hydrographic, terrestrial and satellite datasets
• Vertical datums, chart datums and tidal references distinguished for maritime products
• Coordinate precision recorded in incident logs, patrol reports and enforcement evidence
• Spatial reference metadata documented using source, datum, epoch and transformation details

Participants can build a controlled geodatabase structure for coastal security information.

• Feature classes designed for vessels, ports, patrol zones, incidents and assets
• Attribute domains control vessel status, incident category and security classification values
• Relationship classes connect incidents, vessels, evidence records and enforcement actions
• Topology rules detect overlapping restricted areas, gaps and duplicate infrastructure features
• Unique identifiers support updates, audit trails and cross-system record matching
• Metadata fields capture lineage, collection date, accuracy and handling restrictions

Participants can interpret nautical chart features and incorporate them into operational GIS products.

• IHO S-57 object classes for aids, depths, obstructions and traffic routes
• S-100 data framework and product specifications for digital hydrographic information
• Soundings, contours and depth areas interpreted against chart datum references
• Chart symbols distinguish wrecks, pipelines, cables, restricted areas and anchorages
• ENC update notices evaluated before operational maps are issued
• Raster charts and electronic navigational charts compared for GIS use

Participants can prepare AIS data for vessel movement analysis and operational monitoring.

• AIS message fields: MMSI, position, course, speed, heading and navigation status
• Static, dynamic and voyage-related AIS information assessed for analytical reliability
• Track cleaning removes duplicates, impossible positions, timestamp errors and signal gaps
• Vessel identifiers reconciled across AIS, registries, port calls and incident records
• Temporal aggregation converts raw pings into track segments and dwell events
• AIS limitations include spoofing, switch-offs, coverage gaps and identity anomalies

Participants can identify vessel behaviours that warrant further assessment or response.

• Speed profiles identify drifting, loitering, transshipment and high-speed approach patterns
• Track segmentation separates port calls, transits, anchoring and manoeuvring events
• Rendezvous detection uses proximity, duration, speed and heading criteria
• Kernel density surfaces reveal recurring fishing, anchoring and suspicious activity areas
• Route deviation measured against expected corridors, schedules and traffic separation schemes
• Temporal queries isolate night movements, repeat visits and restricted-zone entries

Participants can select suitable satellite imagery for defined coastal surveillance questions.

• Optical imagery selected using spatial resolution, revisit interval and cloud conditions
• Synthetic aperture radar detects vessels through cloud, darkness and haze
• Multispectral bands distinguish water, vegetation, sediment, built infrastructure and exposed shoreline
• Image acquisition dates matched to tides, weather, incidents and vessel observations
• False-colour composites highlight turbidity, vegetation stress and shoreline features
• Scene metadata checked for sensor geometry, processing level and positional accuracy

Participants can derive interpretable coastal change evidence from multi-date imagery.

• Visual interpretation uses shape, tone, texture, context and association cues
• Shoreline extraction applies thresholding, manual editing and consistent tidal assumptions
• Change detection compares registered imagery using image differencing and classified outputs
• Port expansion, dredging, reclamation and new structures mapped from image evidence
• Vessel detections validated against AIS tracks, patrol observations and acquisition timing
• Confidence statements distinguish observed features, inferred activity and unverified indicators

Participants can integrate bathymetric and terrain data into maritime hazard assessments.

• Bathymetric grids display depth, slope, seabed form and navigation constraints
• Hillshades and contours reveal channels, shoals, reefs and submerged obstructions
• Coastal digital elevation models support flood exposure and access-route analysis
• Tidal range considered when interpreting intertidal hazards and shoreline positions
• Least-cost paths assess patrol access across coastal terrain and infrastructure
• Hazard layers ranked by likelihood, consequence and available mitigation controls

Participants can create spatial threat and vulnerability models for a defined coastal area.

• Threat assessment identifies actors, intent, capability, opportunity and target selection
• Asset inventories classify ports, terminals, cables, fisheries and offshore installations
• Vulnerability scoring considers visibility, access, deterrence, exposure and response capacity
• Weighted overlay combines threat indicators, asset value and vulnerability scores
• Risk matrices document likelihood, consequence, uncertainty and treatment priorities
• Sensitivity analysis tests how weighting choices affect priority area rankings

Participants can configure spatial rules for monitoring restricted waters and protected assets.

• Geofences defined around port limits, exclusion zones, pipelines and protected areas
• Entry, exit, dwell-time and proximity rules trigger operational alerts
• Buffer distances set using vessel speed, stopping distance and response time
• Alert thresholds distinguish routine traffic from exceptions requiring assessment
• Rule logic combines vessel type, flag, time window and location
• Alert records retain timestamps, source data, analyst decisions and outcomes

Participants can use GIS evidence to prepare risk-based maritime patrol plans.

• Patrol sectors prioritised using threat scores, incident history and asset criticality
• Coverage analysis identifies blind areas, overlapping patrols and delayed response zones
• Travel-time surfaces estimate access from bases, ports and staging locations
• Patrol routes account for fuel range, weather limits, tides and navigation hazards
• Search patterns selected for sector search, expanding square and track line tasks
• Shift plans connect patrol objectives, reporting points, communications and contingencies

Participants can map security zones and access risks around ports and offshore installations.

• Port facility layers map berths, gates, terminals, storage and waterside access
• ISPS Code security zones translated into controlled spatial access areas
• Offshore installations mapped with safety zones, subsea assets and support routes
• Line-of-sight analysis evaluates surveillance coverage from cameras and watchtowers
• Approach corridors identify small-craft access routes and concealment opportunities
• Criticality mapping ranks assets by safety, economic and environmental consequences

Participants can produce GIS products that support maritime incident coordination.

• Incident maps establish location, time, assets, hazards and command boundaries
• Last-known-position analysis incorporates drift, currents, wind and reporting uncertainty
• Search areas generated from uncertainty buffers, drift models and elapsed time
• Common operational picture layers support command, patrol, rescue and partner coordination
• Situation reports use map annotations, timestamps, confidence levels and action requests
• Post-incident spatial review identifies response delays, gaps and corrective actions

Participants can apply controls that make maritime GIS products reliable and auditable.

• ISO 19115 metadata elements record purpose, lineage, quality and distribution constraints
• Positional, temporal, thematic and logical consistency quality dimensions assessed
• Data classification controls access to sensitive patrol, intelligence and infrastructure layers
• Chain-of-custody records preserve source files, transformations, analysts and timestamps
• Version control separates authoritative layers, working copies and archived incident snapshots
• Data-sharing agreements specify ownership, permitted use, retention and disclosure conditions

Participants can specify interoperable data services for sharing maritime operational information.

• OGC WMS publishes rendered map layers for operational viewing
• OGC WFS supports feature queries, updates and controlled data exchange
• Application programming interfaces connect AIS feeds, weather services and incident systems
• Data schemas map equivalent vessel, location and incident attributes between systems
• Service-level requirements define update frequency, availability, latency and access controls
• Interoperability testing checks coordinates, attributes, symbology and timestamp consistency

Participants can communicate maritime security findings through clear maps and dashboard specifications.

• Map purpose determines scale, projection, extent, symbology and annotation density
• Visual hierarchy distinguishes priority threats, response assets and reference information
• Colour conventions communicate hazards, restrictions, patrol sectors and confidence levels
• Operational map layouts include title, legend, scale, north arrow and data timestamp
• Dashboard indicators track alerts, vessel counts, incident status and patrol coverage
• Briefing products separate confirmed facts, assessments, assumptions and information gaps

Participants can build, review and present a complete GIS-based coastal security assessment and response plan.

• Mission requirements translated into data layers, analytical questions and decision products
• Maritime geodatabase assembled from chart, AIS, imagery, asset and incident data
• Threat, vulnerability and risk surfaces produced with documented scoring assumptions
• Geofences and patrol priorities configured for identified high-risk maritime areas
• Operational map set prepared for command briefing, patrol deployment and incident response
• Peer review tests data quality, analytical logic, usability and evidence limitations