VESSEL TRAFFIC

SERVICES - VTS
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What is a vessel traffic service?
• Vessel traffic services - VTS - are shore-side systems which range from the provision of
simple information messages to ships, such as position of other traffic or meterological
hazard warnings, to extensive management of traffic within a port or waterway.
• Generally, ships entering a VTS area report to the authorities, usually by radio, and may
be tracked by the VTS control centre.
• Ships must keep watch on a specific frequency for navigational or other warnings, while
they may be contacted directly by the VTS operator if there is risk of an incident or, in
areas where traffic flow is regulated, to be given advice on when to proceed.
• SOLAS Chapter V (Safety of Navigation) states that governments may establish VTS
when, in their opinion, the volume of traffic or the degree of risk justifies such services.
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• Managing traffic for marine routes is a task as difficult as it is important.
Technicalities of this vessel traffic management are immense, which mean
there is always a need for specialized services for the same.
• Vessel traffic services deal with managing ship traffic on marine routes,
suggesting best routes for a vessel and ensuring no two vessels run into each
other on congested routes.
• All this and much more ensures that maritime information always flows
smoothly over all marine routes and ship traffic remains organized. As
included by International Maritime Organization, Vessel Traffic Services also
deal with making marine routes safer and more efficient.
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History of Vessel Traffic Services
• Concept of VTS first came into being with increasing need for a single body to regulate
ship traffic. As marine routes became more and more popular and populated too,
number of accidents on these over worked routes went up too. The current form of VTS
first appeared in the port of Liverpool in 1949. From there, it spread through Europe.
• In US, Coast Guard first took the responsibility of managing ship traffic. However, VTS as
we know it came into existence somewhere in 1980s. In 1971, the Bridge to Bridge
Radiotelephone Act and The Ports and Waterways Safety Act of 1972 were passed which
later made way for the establishment of present day VTS.
• However, the first radar surveillance in US was established in 1950 at Long Beach,
California. Centralized authorities like IMO maintain VTS through proper personnel and
VTS zones in different parts of the world. Other organizations like IMPA, IFSMA, IALA,
IHMA and IAPH are also part of standardized VTS protocol.
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Importance of Vessel Traffic Services
• Importance of Vessel Traffic services can be better understood from the functions it
plays in managing ship traffic. The key importance of VTS is for managing vessel traffic.
This further helps ensuring safety of ships, along with helping attain maximum traffic
flow from any given route.
• Maximum economic returns possible from a marine route can be realized only with
help of these traffic services that keep important marine information available for all
mariners at all times. It even helps in keeping a tab on movement of unauthorized
cargo movements, making waters safer and more controlled. However, one of the
most important roles of these services is to act as a vessel finder. The information
gathered, stored and replayed by various sensors help in keeping a tab on movements
of vessels at all time. This crucial marine information is available at all times and can
be used to find a vessel if it goes missing.
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What is the main purpose of VTS?
• The purpose of a Vessel Traffic Service (VTS) is to provide active monitoring and
navigational advice for vessels in particularly confined and busy waterways. There are two
main types of VTS, surveilled and non-surveilled.
Purpose
• Vessel Traffic Service or VTS is a shore-based system implemented by a competent
authority to:
• Improve the safety and efficiency of navigation,
• Safety of life at sea, and
• Protection of the marine environment.
• VTS is governed by SOLAS Chapter V Regulation 12 together with the guidelines for Vessel
Traffic Services [ IMO Resolution A.857(20) ] adopted on 27 November 1997.
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What is an information service by the VTS?
• The VTS is a maritime shore-based service to assist the vessel traffic in a
specific area, a VTS area. The service is provided by VTS operators (VTSOs)
using Very High Frequency (VHF) radio to provide information that is
important for the safe navigation within the area.
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What is the main contribution of VTS according to Solas v 12?
• REGULATION 12 - Vessel traffic services

1 Vessel traffic services (VTS) contribute to safety of life at sea, safety

and efficiency of navigation and protection of the marine
environment, adjacent shore areas, work sites and offshore
installations from possible adverse effects of maritime traffic.
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Types of vessel traffic services
• Vessel traffic services chiefly include devices to collect and transmit maritime information which
includes traffic images. This information is further transmitted to various vessels in a given VTS zone.
This helps the vessels’ captains to make better navigational decisions and decide their routes. Several
devices are used for purpose of gaining and transmitting this information. Depending on type
medium used to gain this information, VTS can be classified as:
• Surveilled – they consist of land based sensors for attaining important marine information. These
sensors include radars, AIS and closed circuit television sites. Signals from these sensors are sent to
central locations where trained VTS personnel analyze the information and guides ship traffic.
• Non Surveilled- consists of one or more reporting points at where ships notify about their identity,
course, speed and other data. Using this data, courses of various vessels are mapped out and
regulated to avoid any mishaps.
• Uniformity is attained in between surveilled and non-surveilled sensors for complete coverage of
entire marine traffic.  Hence understanding nature and working of these sensors would be of
importance to any mariner
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List of most commonly used sensing
components of vessel traffic services.
1. Radar system
• It includes transmission of marine information
in form of radio waves of certain frequencies.
These frequencies can be read to determine
size and speed on any incoming object to a
distance of several miles. All vessels are
equipped with radar systems which are further
connected to onshore centre for transmitting
information and forming a web of data.
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2.  AIS
• It stands for Automatic Identification System
and helps in improving safety and efficiency
of navigation. This system makes use of a
broadcast system that helps in updating data
on connected vessels automatically. This is a
speedy system which can update information
ever two seconds. Self Organizing Time
Division Multiple Access (SOTDMA)
technology is used to handle and transport
such huge amount data at such high speeds.
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3. Radio direction finder
• As the name suggest, this component of VTS helps in obtaining
maritime information that will help to locate direction from which
radio frequencies are coming. This device particularly helps in acting
like a vessel finder.
• Vessel traffic services are used for the sole purpose of making all ship
routes safer and more efficient. With trained personnel, this take
becomes easier and makes marine routes safer.
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VTS Communication Procedures;
• 01.Ships to be subjected to Traffic Service
• Ocean-going ship for international route
• Ships over 300 tons for Gross Tonnage(But, except the inward fishing boats)
• Cargo Ships carrying dangerous goods as defined in the provisions of the Sea Traffic
Safety Act, Article 2)
• Tug Boat with its towage line over 200 m
• Fishing boat with its length 45m or longer
• Towing vessel for construction work
• Oil tanker or Waste Oil Carrier with gross tonnage of 300 ton or less
• Passenger ship within a control area (But cruise ship within a port is excluded)
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02.Procedure of Report on Vessel Traffic Service(VTS)
• (Report on the conditions of ships) The shipmaster of the vessel subjected to VTS should
make report on matters required for VTS business to the concerning VTS center according
to the reporting procedure as follows, in accordance with the provisions set by the
Enforcement Decree of the Public Order in Open Ports Act, Article 11.
01.Pre-Entry Report
• Report on expected entrance of a ship into VTS zone (10 miles before Reporting Line of
Location): Vessel Name, Call Sign, and Estimated Time to pass the reporting line of
position, Destination, Last departure port)
• Report on passing the line of navigation position: Vessel Name, Time of passing,
Destinations, Estimated time to enter the destination
• Report on arrival at destination: Vessel Name, Call Sign, Entrance Location, Time
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02.Report on Movement
• Report on expected movement (10 min before): Vessel Name, Location, Estimated Time of
Movement
• Report on movement completion: Vessel Name, Call Sign, Location, Time
03.Report on Departure
• Report on Expected Departure (10 min before): Vessel Name, Location, Estimated Time of Departure
• Report on Departure: Vessel Name, Location, Call Sign, Departure Time, Destination
• Report on passing the line of navigation position: Vessel Name, Time of Passing
04. VTS center can ask ships that are not subjected to VTS to report on a port of departure, a port of
arrival, time and purpose when they are sailing within the VTS zone if necessary.
05. The concerning pilotage company should make reports on the ship’s pilotage boarding/getting off
location base and the time to VTS center in accordance with the provisions set by the Enforcement
Decree of the Public Order in Open Ports Act, Article 11, Paragraph 3
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Reporting point symbols on the chart;
1. VTS reporting

2. VTS reporting
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Reporting point symbols on the chart;
3.

4.
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Reporting point symbols on the chart;
3. Pilot boarding/disembarking point

4. Pilot boarding/disembarking point using helecopter

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VESSEL TRAFFIC SERVICE (VTS) STANDARD PHRASES
1.Message Marker Example
"INSTRUCTION.” “Do not cross the fairway.
"ADVICE.”“(Advise you) stand by on VHF Channel six nine(69).
"WARNING.” “Obstruction in the fairway.
"INFORMATION.” “Alpha” will overtake to the West of you.
"QUESTION.”“(What is) your present maximum draft?
"ANSWER.” “My present maximum draft is zero seven metres.
"REQUEST.“I require two tugs.
"INTENTION.“I will reduce my speed."
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2. Acquiring and providing routine traffic data
What is the name of your vessel and call sign or identification? Spell the
name of your vessel.
The name of my vessel is (................).Call sign is (..............).
Identification is(..............).
What is your flag state? My flag states (..............).
What is your position? My position is bearing (....... degrees),distance
(........kilometers) or (..........nautical miles)From (.........Buoy or
lighthouse or land mark)
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2-2. Course(Speed)
What is your present course and speed?
My present course is(........degrees)My speed is (..........knots).
What is your present course or heading? My present course(or heading)is (..........degrees).
2-3 Destination, Last port, ETA, ETD
What is your port of destination?
My port of destination or Destination is. (.........port name).
What was your last port of call?
My last port of call was (..........port name).
What is your ETA in position (...........)?
My ETA is (.........) UTC (or Indonesian Local time).
What is your ETD from (............)?My ETD from (........) is (.........) UTC (or Indonesian Local time.)
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2-4 Draft, Air-draft or List
What is your draft forward / aft?
My draft forward / aft is (......... metres).
What is your present maximum draft?
My present maximum draft is (......... metres).
I am / MV (......) is constrained by draft. The maximum permitted draft is (......... metres).
2-5.Cargo
What is your cargo? My cargo is (...............).
Do you carry any dangerous goods?(IMDG: The International Maritime Dangerous Goods
Code)Yes, I carry the following dangerous goods(............) kilograms or tonnes IMO Class
(............).No, I do not carry any dangerous goods