The Hindu Business Line : Cochin Port Trust going in for vessel traffic management system

Kochi April 19 The Cochin Port Trust has invited tenders for installing a Vessel Traffic Management System (VTMS) for safe navigation and surveillance of Cochin Harbour as per IMO and International Association of Light House Authority (IALA) guidelines.

The proposed Vessel Traffic Management System comprises port surveillance radar, data processing system, communication system, GPS-based Automatic Identification System (AIS), emergency power supply system, meteorological and hydro graphic system etc.

The estimated cost of the project is around Rs 10 crore and the time limit for its implementation would be 12 months from the date of issue of work order, senior port officials said.

The main Vessel Traffic Management System centre would be located at top floor of RCC tower, which is proposed to be constructed at Fort Kochi. The approximate height of the tower is 45 metres and it is proposed to install two radars to give a good coverage of the approach channel, Vypeen, Mattanchery and the sea route up to 24 nautical miles. The second radar will give coverage of Vallarpadam and other inner harbour areas.

According to port officials, there is need for a good Vessel Traffic Management System as the demand on safe navigation has increased especially in the confined waters of ports, harbours, anchorages and harbour approaches with heavier and faster ships.

Marine accidents involving large oil tankers have increased especially in restricted waters and approaches to ports. The conventional system of guiding the shipping traffic using buoys, beacons, lighthouses and traffic separation schemes is inadequate.

Therefore, a harbour- or shore-based system for safe vessel guidance and control had become a necessity. Many of the busy ports of the world had started using automatic radar processing techniques and the system of multi radar configuration in the early 1980s.

Vessel Traffic Management System, which is an excellent decision making tool for port control offices, also helps in tracking ships that cause pollution and also in discouraging maritime fraud by monitoring them from the time they enter port waters till they depart. Besides the details about a ship, the Vessel Traffic Management System is also designed to gather hydrological data on tides and currents at a given location and also meteorological information such as wind speed/direction, temperature and humidity.

The International Maritime Organisation has also made it mandatory for every ship to be equipped with AIS, which would enable a Vessel Traffic Management System if interfaced with AIS to identify every ship that enters the port limits even without contacting on radio. This would enhance security and safety of the port, the officials added.