VDES AllianceIn January 2026 Teledyne FLIR TransponderTech and CML Microcircuits performed joined VDES testing in False Bay, South Africa to test the performance of VDES. VDES performed very well and 0% PER was measured over range of 50 km when using link ID 19. Details of the testing will follow in a joint report.
Stay tuned!
The VDES Alliance will be present at the upcoming IALA DTEC6 conference, with representation by its newly appointed President, Stefan Pielmeier.
DTEC6 brings together stakeholders across the maritime and navigation community to discuss developments in digital technologies, making it a highly relevant forum for ongoing VDES-related discussions, including standardisation, implementation or operational use cases.
Stefan will represent the Alliance in discussions and exchanges with industry, authorities, as well as Chairman of DTEC WG3, continuing the Alliance’s active engagement in shaping the future of VDES. The participation also marks his first official representation of the Alliance in his new role as President.
If you are attending DTEC6 and would like to discuss anything related to VDES, we encourage you to approach Stefan during the event.
The VDES Alliance is pleased to announce that Stefan Pielmeier has been formally appointed as President of the Alliance.
This appointment follows the amendment of the Articles of Association approved at the Annual General Assembly in September 2025, which introduced the possibility to appoint a President to support the day-to-day operations of the Alliance and strengthen its overall coordination.
In this role, the President is responsible for the daily management of the Alliance, ensuring that decisions and resolutions of the Board are implemented, and supporting the execution of ongoing activities across the Working Groups and membership. The President also represents the Alliance in relevant external forums, including IALA, RTCM or IMO, to mention a few.
The introduction of the President role reflects the continued growth of the VDES Alliance and the increasing need for dedicated leadership to support its activities, coordination efforts, and external engagement.
Stefan Pielmeier brings extensive experience in VDES standardisation and international maritime cooperation, and will play an important role in supporting the Alliance’s mission to advance VDES globally. He previously served as Chairman of the Alliance, from its launch in 2022 until September 2025.
In October 2025, a demonstration trial was conducted to demonstrate the distribution of navigational warning information using the Ymir-1 VDES satellite.
This demonstration was carried out with the support of the Ocean Policy Research Institute of the Sasakawa Peace Foundation (Japan) through the joint efforts of Sternula Japan Co., Ltd., Sternula, and the AOS Consortium (Teledyne FLIR TransponderTech, AAC Clyde Space, and ORBCOMM).
First, a dataset of S-124 Navigational Warning messages to be transmitted via satellite was generated in Denmark. The dataset was then sent to the satellite operations centre in the United Kingdom, where satellite health monitoring and operational scheduling of the VDES satellite Ymir-1 are managed. The dataset was subsequently forwarded to a satellite earth station located in Norway and uplinked to Ymir-1 via an S-band feeder link.
Ymir-1 transmitted the S-124 navigational warning message dataset toward the designated test area according to a pre-planned transmission schedule. A VDES terminal (R6 VDES) installed onboard a demonstration vessel operating within the test area received the navigational warning, which was displayed on the vessel’s ECDIS-like screen. At the same time, the received data were transmitted back to Denmark via an LTE connection, and subsequently forwarded to Japan.
Due to experimental licensing constraints in Japan, the test area was located in European waters; however, the navigational warning message distributed during the trial consisted of a “tsunami warning” targeting the entrance area of Tokyo Bay, Japan.
On 5 November 2025, a public demonstration of the trial results was held in Tokyo. Representatives from relevant Japanese government agencies and private-sector organizations attended the event, together with the Technical Director of FLIR TransponderTech, Peter Bergljung (Chair of the VDES Alliance) invited from Sweden, while stakeholders in the United Kingdom and Denmark participated remotely.
Approximately 90 maritime professionals gathered to discuss challenges and potential solutions toward the practical implementation of satellite VDES. The event successfully established a shared understanding among participants regarding future deployment and operational considerations.
The VDES Alliance is pleased to announce the appointment of its new Board of Directors, elected at the Annual General Assembly held on 15 September 2025.
Mr. Peter Bergljung (SAAB TransponderTech) has been appointed as Chairman of the Board, and Mr. Derek Love (CML Microcircuits) as Co-Chairman.
The Board of Directors further includes:
The new Board will continue to advance the mission of the VDES Alliance – to accelerate the adoption and interoperability of VDES technologies, ensuring secure and efficient maritime data exchange worldwide.
The VDES Alliance remembers Andy as a strong VDES supporter, that we will miss in our work.
Peter Bergljung, our co-chair of the VDES Alliance remembers:
“I first met Andy in 2020, when I began collaborating with his company, ORBCOMM, on the initiation of the AIS/VDES satellite project called YMIR-1. Since then, Andy and I spoke and met—both digitally and in person—many times, certainly hundreds of times, regarding YMIR-1 and the VDES Alliance.
Back in 2020, Andy shared with me his extensive experience with AIS satellites, which ORBCOMM had operated in orbit for many years. VDES, the next generation of AIS, was something we began exploring together. Andy’s knowledge of AIS satellites was invaluable to me, and when we launched the VDES Alliance in 2022, ORBCOMM was one of the first members to join. Andy actively participated in VDES Alliance meetings, contributing his deep business expertise in AIS data services and helping us envision how this knowledge could be applied to VDES.
I will remember Andy for his profound knowledge of AIS and VDES, as well as for the many insightful and enjoyable meetings we shared. His passing is a tragic loss, and he will be deeply missed.”
The VDES Alliance extends our deepest condolences to Andy’s family, friends, and colleagues.
IALA Council recently approved two new VDES guidelines, emphasizing the significance of VHF Data Exchange and its increasing adoption.
Find an updated list of VDES relevant ressources on our related page.
Specifically, G1192 VDES Authentication outlines how VDE-TER can be utilized to authenticate existing AIS transmissions for AIS Aids to Navigation (AtoN). This concept was demonstrated in a real-world setup by one of IALA’s members. In the past, presentations have been made to IMO NCSR, Maritime Connectivity Platform Consortium (MCP), and IALA, highlighting the threat posed by unauthenticated AIS transmissions and presenting the solution and performance of VDE-TER. The solution reduces the impact of unauthorized transmissions by enabling seafarers to identify unauthorized transmissions.
G1193 VDES signal measurement provides a guideline that outlines the necessary steps for conducting comparative VDES performance evaluations. IALA encourages everyone interested in presenting VDES performance to adhere to these guidelines to ensure that results are comparable when comparing measurements taken in a standardized manner.
VDES to Become SOLAS Equipment – What This Means for the Maritime Industry
At its 110th session, the IMO Maritime Safety Committee endorsed the VHF Data Exchange System (VDES) as SOLAS carriage requirement equipment, effective from January 1, 2028, as proposed by it’s subcommittee NCSR12.
This marks a significant step forward in maritime digitalization. VDES builds on AIS (Automatic Identification System) but offers increased bandwidth and improved reliability through both terrestrial and satellite communication channels. For shipowners, upgrading from AIS to VDES means access to enhanced data services, improved situational awareness, and long-term regulatory compliance.
Because VDES includes AIS functionality, it enables a smooth and future-proof transition from current systems to the new standard—ensuring continuity without operational disruption.
Already today, members deliver type-approved AIS transponders and AIS base stations that are future-proof by design. These systems are fully upgradeable to VDES, giving shipowners and port authorities a clear path to compliance and next-generation capability—without having to reinvest in entirely new infrastructure.
The transition to VDES represents more than just compliance—it’s an opportunity to build a more connected, safer, and smarter maritime domain.
IEC has already started its work to incorporate the IMO decisions into its draft VDES ship equipment test standard IEC 63514, targeted to reach CDV in 2026, allowing start of ship equipment type approvals.
A bit further details for the VDES nerds:
The VDES Alliance is proud to announce publishing of the new G-1002 Guideline on coordinated use of satellite VDES frequencies, Logical Channels and spreading code among satellite VDES operators.
Access the document here.
The VDES Alliance is participating in the 12th session of the Sub-Committee on Navigation, Communications and Search and Rescue (NCSR) of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) on May 12–15, 2025. We thank CIRM for organizing our participation at NCSR12.
A delegation from the VDES Alliance board, including the chairman Stefan Pielmeier, the co-chairman Peter Bergljung, Koichi Nishimura and Derek Love, will be present to support the ongoing work on the development and standardization of the VHF Data Exchange System (VDES), as well as to contribute to discussions on future maritime digitalization efforts. The board members will be in attendance to engage with stakeholders and represent the Alliance’s collective expertise and efforts.
For more information about VDES Alliance and its activities, find us at our coffee table at the event or reach out to administration@vdes-alliance.org.