NLB monitors all its active land and sea-based Aids to Navigation (AtoN) from Monitor Centres in Edinburgh and Harwich. These Monitoring Centres are equipped with modern state of the art communications systems which allows NLB staff to observe the functionality and condition of our AtoN in real time, monitor performance trends, and conduct remote interventions in certain circumstances.
NLB also uses utilises AIS (Automatic Identification System) to monitor both fixed and floating AtoN. Whilst AIS is principally a navigational aid for vessels, provision is made within the message architecture for the monitoring of various AtoN performance characteristics, including position, functionality, and battery condition.