DESCRIZIONE
The present invention relates to a monitoring system for monitoring vessels of shipping traffic comprising AIS ship-to-ship units and / or AIS ship receiving units for transmitting and / or receiving AIS radio signals containing vessel traffic data of shipping traffic, wherein a plurality of AIS transmitting units ( 2) and / or AIS receiving units (3) are provided, which are arranged on commercial aircraft (21, 22, 31) such that at least part of the AIS radio signals emitted by the AIS ship-to-ship units of vessel traffic are receivable by at least one of the AIS receiver units (3) arranged on a commercial aircraft (21, 22, 31) and / or the AIS radio signals emitted by at least one of the AIS transmission units (2) arranged on a commercial aircraft (21, 22, 31) can be received by at least part of the AIS ship reception units of the vessel traffic, when the commercial aircraft (21, 22, 31) fly towards their destinations in the aviation area.