The Changing Role of Vessel Traffic Services

eg sv 6
\(‘
,149
The Changing Role of Vessel Traffic
By Mike Sollosi, LIS Coast Guard
Services
Chairman of the IALA VTS Committee
The traditional roles of Vessel Traffic Service and the ways in which a Vessel Traffic Service
interacts with shipping are clearly described in IALA publications and in the IMO Guidelines
on VTS (A.857(20)). However, the traditional roles of a VTS are expanding beyond the radar
horizon and beyond the limiting description of VTS and its duties as prescribed in IMO
Resolution A.857(20).
M
any factors have combined to influence Chis
expansion ofVTS roles. The monitoring of and
interaction with vessels has become a more
precise and a more widespread activity.
Collection of information related to maritime traffic serves
many purposes beyond the provision of the basic VIS services. Security and efficiency considerations require notice of
arrival information and vessel position monitoring well before vessels arrive at the sea buoy or enter theVTS arca. There
is a demand for information on vessels beyond the basics of
position, identity and intentions. Shore organizations — other
than VTS authorities — at local, regional and national levels
need to be aware of marine traffic or to interact with individual vessels far from their shores. A Long Range
ldentification and Tracking (LRIT) regime is emerging from
IMO. From the shoreside perspective, no international organization is coordinating or providing guidance on how LRIT
information can best be applied for safety, security and efficiency purposes. There is thus a role to be filled in the
context of vessel traffic management, and at a level higher
than the traditional roles ofVTS.
TheVTS Committee has proposed that IALA realign the committee and revise its work programme to provide guidance,
where appropriate, on diese interactiveVTM issues. To this end,
it was further proponed that theVTS Committee be re-named
the VTLI Committee and adjust its work programme accordingly. The work programme will be discussed at the upcoming
session and amended as necessary to focus onVTM functional
needs and the provision of VTM guidance and recommendations. k is envisaged that the E-Nav Committee — and per haps
other committees — would then provide technical guidance on
how those functional needs are best delivered.
TheVTS Committee, at its 24th session, carefully scrutinized
its 2006 to 2010 work programme to ensure that the tasks
and related outputs not only supported the IALA Strategy
but also took into account the expanding role ofVTS in the
modem maritime age. As Chis was the first session of the
four year work programme and the first opportunity to
cooperate with the newly formed E-Nav Committee, the
VT5 committee saw an opportunity ro refocus their efforts
over the coming four years. TheVTS Committee members
were also concemed that diere may be roo limited a focus
within theVTS Committee as well as the potential for duplication of effort between the two committees. Therefore, a
realignment and an expansion of the Committee's efforts
into the emerging field of Vessel Traffic Management was
contemplated.
The change being contemplated is a rellection of the changes
in port operations and maritime traffic that the VTS
Committee members have witnessed firsthand in their respective organizations and industries. The introduction of
Marine Electronic Highways and LRIT and the expanding use
of the waterway are other important elements to be considered in the global effort to support safety of navigation. To ensure it remins a leading role mgarding all present and barre aids
to navigation and vessel traffic management practices, IALA
needs to respond to [hese changes by promoting wider acceptante of Marine Electronic Highways and by acrively participating in the development and deployment of systems for collecting, processing and acting upan the growing volume and
diversity of maritime traffic information that is being generated
by a wider variety of sources.
Las funcionEs tradicionales del Sevicio de Tráfico de
Naves y la manera en que unServicio de Tráfico de Naves
interactua con el tráfico marítimo están claramente desaílas antas publicaciones de la IALA y en las directrices de la
OMI sobre VIS (A857(20)). Sin embargo, las funciones
tradicionales del VIS aumentan más de lo que se puede
Les roles fraditionnels d'un service de trafic maritime et la facon dont il interagit avec la navigation
sont clairement décrits dans les publications de
rmsm et dans les lignes directrices de l'OMI sur
les STM (A.857(20)). Cependant, ces roles traditionnels s'étendent maintenant au-delá de l'horizon du radar et de la description limitative du
STM et de ses táches tels qu'ils figurent dans la
Résolution de I'OMI. De nombreux facteurs se
sont combines pour influer sur cette expansion. La
surveillance et l'interaction avec les navires sont
devenues plus precises et plus étendues. Un régime d'identification et de suivi á longue distance
(LRIT) émerge á l'OMI. Un réalignement et une
extension des travaux de la Corrmússion vers une
gestion du trafic maritime sont á l'étude. •
VesselTraffic Management (VTM) may be described as a collection of global maritime activkies supported by information services widi the intent of improving the safety, security, and efficiency of ports, waterways, vessels and their cargo and the
ensuing environmental protection. In Chis context,VTM would
compriseVTS as a central component, but would also include
other activities supported by the exchange of information, such
as AIS, LRfI enforr_ement of laws and treaties, and searth and
rescue.
■
La Commission VIS change de role
percibir y más allá de del campo de ación del VIS y sus
deberes establecidos en la Resolución A.&57(20) dela OM1
Moches factores se han conjugado para influir eyi. este
aumento de funciones del VIS. Ei monitoreo de naves y
la interacción con buques se ha convertido en una actividad más precisa y masiva De la OMI surge un sistema de
Idendficadon y Seguimiento de Largo Alcance de buques
(LRIT), además se contempla una reestructuración y
aumento de los esfuerzos del Cornil hada el nuevo
campo de la Gestión de Tráfico de Buques.
12
Bulletin de l'AISM 2007/1 • IALA Bulletin 2007/1