Automatic communication between computer systems on board and ashore is a necessity. At this stage it is limited to simple exchange of information – the data transmitted in the messages. It is expected that it will take the more complex form soon, allowing the dialogue, the transmission of intentions and conducting negotiations. To make it possible, it is necessary to build suitable ontology, describing the processes of communication at sea. To apply this ontology in information systems it is necessary to present it in a proper representation. This paper presents a method of generating a representation in form of XML-Schema based on the ontology built with the use of Protégé program

One of the causes of ships’ accidents are errors in the communication between navigators in charge of ships concerned. The most common causes include a lack of communication, misunderstanding of a received message, incorrect choice of the type of message or misinterpretation of the information exchanged. These errors can be significantly reduced by the automation of intership communication processes, in particular by a developed automatic maritime communication system. The decision to communicate is as essential as communication itself. This paper presents the problem of identifying situations requiring the establishing of communication by a sea-going vessel. A definition of the need to establish communication between the vessels is associated with the acquisition of data, analysis and evaluation of the navigational situation and the relevant inference process. Based on an analysis of the process of identifying navigation situations which require communication between proceeding ships, the model of automatic identification of such situations has been develope

One of the factors affecting a ship’s safety during its voyage is the ability to detect encounter situations. Navigators mostly use two parameters: closest point of approach (CPA) and time to CPA (TCPA). Their limit values, considered as safe, depend on the parameters of the vessel, geographic area, and weather conditions. These limits are set by the navigator and are based on his experience; however, in specific situations, there is a need to use other parameters, such as ship domain. It is very important for the automated communication system to determine the critical moment when intership communication should be started. The article presents an algorithm of automatic detection of situations where the communication should be initiated. The influence of data relating to the vessel, geographic area, and weather conditions can be taken into account. The output produced by the program, based on the authors’ algorithm, is presented.