By WE ARE NAVIGATORS | 11 October 2026
On a busy bridge, another stream of information is useful only when it helps the watchkeeper make a better decision. That is the practical test for VDES, a development that deserves attention as shipping prepares for its next stage of digital communications.
The International Maritime Organization has adopted amendments to SOLAS regulation V/19 allowing the VHF Data Exchange System, or VDES, to be carried as an alternative to AIS. The provisions enter into force on 1 January 2028.
For owners and seafarers, the immediate question is straightforward: does this mean existing AIS equipment must be replaced?
The change does not introduce a blanket requirement for every ship to replace AIS in 2028. It provides a regulatory route for using compliant VDES equipment as an alternative. Any installation decision should be checked against the applicable requirements and the vessel's flag administration.
What is VDES?
VDES is an advanced maritime radio system designed to exchange digital information between vessels and shore stations using terrestrial and satellite components. It offers higher data-transfer speeds than conventional AIS and can authenticate AIS messages to help address spoofing.
IMO adopted the amendments at its Maritime Safety Committee's 111th session in May 2026, together with shipborne VDES performance standards. It also approved guidelines for onboard operational use.
These decisions give the technology a clearer place in the international regulatory framework. They do not, by themselves, tell an owner which equipment to buy or what services will be available along a particular trading route.
What should owners ask before investing?
A sensible starting point is the vessel's operation. A coastal vessel working a regular route and an ocean-going ship trading worldwide may have quite different communications needs.
Before considering an installation, owners and technical managers should ask:
Is the proposed equipment approved for the intended use?
What guidance has the vessel's flag administration issued?
Which shore and satellite services will be available on its trading routes?
How will the equipment connect with existing bridge systems?
What installation, maintenance, software and service costs are involved?
What familiarisation will the crew need?
These questions turn a technology discussion into an operational decision. They also help prevent an equipment purchase from getting ahead of the infrastructure needed to make it useful.
What will it mean for the bridge team?
The crew's concern will be how the system behaves during an ordinary watch—and when something goes wrong.
A useful familiarisation programme should explain what information is received, where it appears, how its source is identified and what to do when it conflicts with other observations. Clear procedures for interruptions and equipment faults deserve as much attention as the system's normal functions.
Additional information should support the watchkeeper's judgement. A sensible bridge procedure would continue to require officers to assess it alongside radar, visual observations and other available navigational information.
There is also a workload question. If a new service delivers more messages, who reviews them? Which require action? Which can wait? Those details should be settled before the equipment becomes part of daily operations.
Security needs attention from the start
Authentication is a valuable development, but operators should still ask how access, software updates and connections to other onboard systems will be managed.
Practical questions include who can change settings, how faults are reported and how the crew recognises suspect information. These are useful matters to include in the vessel's familiarisation and cyber-risk review.
A measured approach to 2028
Owners considering newbuild specifications or planned bridge upgrades have a reason to discuss VDES with their equipment suppliers and flag administration. Operators of existing vessels can use the lead-up to 2028 to understand the requirements and assess the business case.
Our view at WE ARE NAVIGATORS is that the value of maritime digitalisation should be judged at the point of use. Does it give the crew useful information? Does it fit the vessel's operation? Can the people using it understand its limitations?
VDES deserves a place in those discussions. Preparing well means asking those questions early, before choosing the equipment.
Source: International Maritime Organization — MSC 111 meeting summary, 13–22 May 2026
Regulatory information checked on 11 October 2026. Vessel-specific implementation should be confirmed with the relevant flag administration.