Starboard quick start guide

1. Starboard interface overview

Filters
These control what is shown on screen, both in the ‘Map view’ and ‘List of vessels’ screens.

Analysis results
This area displays the result of the filters. If a vessel is selected its details are shown in this area.

Zoom controls
These move the map in and out. The zoom shortcut is a double click on the map to zoom in, and hold shift + double click to zoom out.

Search
This allows you to find vessels by unique vessel details (MMSI, name, call sign). The latest location of that vessel is shown by default.

Vessels
These are shown as icons with their past tracks on the map. Select a vessel to view its details. To view the details of multiple vessels, hold shift + click on them.

Vessel data paused from loading
This is signified by a grey hexagon with a download arrow. This occurs in areas where there are many vessels, like a port. We do this to make Starboard faster. To see vessels in this area, click on the hexagon and vessel information will load.

Basemap information
The grey lines are the exclusive economic zones (EEZ) of all nations. The grey lines around Aotearoa New Zealand are the 12 and 24 nautical mile lines. The shaded grey areas near Aotearoa New Zealand are marine protected areas.

Timeline
This shows the range selected in the ‘Time’ filter. Drag the time slider back and forth to move the vessels through time. Tap your arrow keys to move the time slider in 10 minutes increments, and hold shift + tap to move it 1 hour.

2. Vessel track history, track colours and symbols

Clicking ‘Track history’ at the bottom of the vessel details panel displays an annotated track history. Each noteworthy event is recorded against a vessel. Click on any event to jump to it.

• Fishing

  Shown as a pink line. This signifies when Starboard believes a vessel is fishing. This activity is detected by an algorithm, as opposed to being reported by the vessel.

• Missing AIS data

  Shown as a dashed line. Missing AIS data means a vessel has not been transmitting its AIS locations for more than 4 hours.

• Loitering

  Shown as a dark blue line. Loitering means a vessel has travelled at less than 2 knots for at least 4 hours. This slow movement is consistent with the behaviour observed when two vessels meet at sea, or a vessel is waiting to enter port.

• Encounters

  Shown as a dark red line and double red line icon on selected vessels. Encounters mean two vessels (or sometimes a vessel and a buoy) have met with the following criteria: either they’re less than 50 meters from each other for at least 10 minutes, or less than 200 meters from each other for at least 30 minutes. This movement is consistent with the behaviour observed when two vessels meet at sea to exchange goods—fuel, fish, people or cargo, for example.

• Loitering and missing AIS

  Shown as a dotted circle. Similar to encounters, a rule applies (less than 2 knots for more than 4 hours) except here the vessel is not transmitting AIS locations. As such we don’t know what it was doing during this period of time, but it was likely travelling very slowly.

3. Using filters to analyse vessel activity

Everything on the screen responds to the filters you have set. These are set at the top of the screen.

The above view shows the analysis of vessels heading towards Aotearoa New Zealand for their relative Covid-19 risk, with these filters:

• Vessel activity from 1 Feb 00:00 – 3 Feb 12:59 2021 NZDT.
• The chosen area ‘New Zealand to 400nm’ is shown on screen with the white outline.
• Only vessels who have entered this area from outside, in the chosen timeframe, are shown.
• The analysis type is ‘Covid-19 risk’ meaning vessels are coloured according to that risk profile.

Filters can be changed to study a small area over a long timeframe. The above view is an example of this and shows analysing vessels in North Minerva Reef over 9 months. To recreate this view:

1. Move the map to your area of interest, in this case North Minerva Reef near Tonga.
2. Adjust the ‘Time’ to your timeframe of interest (AIS data currently goes back to May 2020).
3. Historical vessel tracks can be seen passing through North Minerva Reef.
4. Select vessels (or tracks) by clicking on them. Hold shift + click on them to select multiple vessels.

4. View and download vessel lists

A list can be generated for all of the vessels you can see on the map, at any given time. (Sometimes vessels just outside your monitor’s viewport are included). From here you can:

• Sort by different columns
• See recent port visit details
• Download a CSV of the vessel list for further analysis

5. Covid-19 and Hitchhiker pest risk (BMSB) analysis types and vessel colours

In the ‘Covid-19 risk’ analysis type vessels are coloured yellow, orange, and red in relation to their relative risk profile. More about Covid-19 risk assessment.

In the ‘Hitchhiker pest risk (BMSB)’ analysis type vessels are coloured dark blue and red in relation to their relative risk profile. More about BMSB risk assessment.

In the ‘All activity’ analysis type fishing vessels are pink, all others are white. Fishing activity is always pink.

6. Viewing vessel details and vessel reports

Click on any vessel to bring up its details. Clicking on ‘Track history’ shows its past movements and the ‘Vessel report’ displays time at sea vs in port, past movements, and further vessel details.

7. Sharing Starboard map views (copy the URL)

Everything shown on the ‘Map view’ and ‘List of vessels’ screens is in the URL (web address). Sharing this unique URL with another Starboard user means they will see what you’re seeing.

For example, in the above we are analysing ‘Sailing’ vessels arriving to Aotearoa New Zealand from 1 November 2020 – 31 January 2021. Any Starboard user with this URL will see that same analysis.

Any questions or feedback? Contact us on hello@starboard.nz if you require further information or assistance.