The System qualities comes from many sources:

• Systems characteristics provided to system users;
• System architecture characteristics (the way functionalities are provided);
• Network Control Characteristics;
• Characteristics of functionalities accessible to users (local control);
• Characteristics of equipement, software packages and links in place;
• Characteristics of support identified for the system.

The INNAV VTMIS system integrates real-time sensor information from radar, trackers, AIS VHF or satellite, DF CCTV, wind direction and speed, tide gauges. By integrating these sensors, the system fuses the information and allows integration of additional sites while still providing one global picture.

It includes sufficient functionalities, geographic deployment and levels of service  to be used across Canada by the Marine trafic and communications Services (VTS), to achieve its mission : Marine traffic management  (High level, Ecareg, Nordreg), processing of notices to shipping, processing of incidents/accidents and VTS operations management. (VTS functions)

Based on extensive experience in marine traffic management, INNAV is the core of the national integrated system that combines MCTS (Marine Communication and Traffic Services)  operations, automates routine tasks, and streamlines client access to marine information.
Traditional vessel traffic and data management systems integrate radar, target tracking and communications. Effective waterway management, however, demands a far wider range of information. INNAV responds to these demands by focusing an otherwise incompatible mixture of marine information onto a layered, graphic display of the waterway. Using off the shelf hardware and open software architecture, INNAV meets the current and future needs of waterway authorities and offers the marine community access to accurate up-to-date traffic information.

INNAV delivers an integrated workstation combining all waterway related information in a layered format from the most static to the most dynamic. Details on any type of information, sensor management and communication controls can be accessed by pull-down menus or through a georeferenced display of the waterway. Mariners, MCTS Centres, and participating shore-based clients are connected in real time through the INNAV workstation. Centre operations reflect the information collected by all other Centres and participating private and government agencies.

INNAV’s intuitive person/machine interface reduces training time, speeds the handling of administrative tasks, and frees running of equipment. The focus stays on the waterway. The system’s logging features keep an accurate record of vessel activities, allows faithful replay of incident events and speeds up the conduct of quality audits. Regardless of the volume of traffic, number of data sources, or the demands of partners and users, INNAV remains flexible, adaptable, and cost effective. Automated information support services arm personnel with accurate time-critical information.

The INNAV System Architecture’s  innovative modular design accepts most existing and new sensors, applications, data and/or information sources. Custom-designed sensor interfaces retrieve and accept sensor data, and processing and conversion algorithms prepare the data for exploitation. New source data and information is automatically validated, fused and correlated with existing data and information. For example, all track reports are processed by the Position Manager system component which not only de-conflicts and correlates positively identified multi-source track reports in realtime but draws upon historic track database information to confirm the correctness of all information and adds additional information as and if needed. Through the INNAV network data is immediately made available to all users in MCTS centers and to those on the web.

Data management security ensures that INNAV data is accessible by registered users only, and that sensitive and/or proprietary data is shared with only those that have a “need to know”.

INNAV is developed on Microsoft architecture and it is compatible with and easily integrated into existing vessel management architectural frameworks. As a result the cost of entry is very low and the deployment time quite short. A simple INNAV VTMIS consisting of a workstation(s), databases, servers, shore-based radar installation can be deployed in almost any port, harbour, seaway, inlet, bay and/or waterway in only a few weeks.

All INNAV hardware and software components are automatically monitored to ensure a high degree of operational responsiveness, excellent performance and unequaled dependability. INNAV offers several alternate modes of operation in order to address possible disruptions, and the support and monitoring systems are core to the operating systems and are always operating in the background.

Reliability is an absolute must for any safety service. INNAV uses a robust, proven operating system with linked regional servers to ensure no-worry, 24 hours, 7-days a week service. Even if network links between Operation Centres fail, INNAV is designed to continue working with site resident data. Waterway information is automatically re-synchronized when links are re-established. MCTS, as an efficient safety support system, is reflected clearly throughout the system architecture.