Vessel Traffic Service

A Vessel Traffic Service is the maritime equivalent of air traffic control for the approaches to ports and for congested or dangerous stretches of water such as straits, estuaries and traffic separation schemes. Operated from a shore centre by trained operators, a VTS keeps track of the ships in its area using coastal radar, AIS receivers, cameras and VHF radio, building a real-time picture of the traffic so that it can improve safety and efficiency and protect the environment by preventing groundings and collisions.

VTS operate at different levels of involvement. At its most basic an information service broadcasts the traffic situation, weather, tides and hazards so that masters and pilots have the fullest possible picture for their own decisions. A traffic organisation service goes further, managing the flow of shipping — for example allocating the order and timing of movements in a narrow channel, or clearing a deep-draught vessel through a critical stretch. A navigational assistance service can help a specific ship navigate in difficult circumstances, on request or when the VTS sees it is standing into danger.

Participation in a VTS area usually requires ships to report on entering, to keep a listening watch on a designated VHF channel, and to follow the reporting and routing requirements of the scheme. Importantly, the VTS does not take over the navigation of the ship: the master remains responsible for the safe conduct of the vessel, and the pilot, where one is embarked, advises on ship handling, while the VTS provides the wider traffic picture and organisation. Well-run VTS have markedly reduced accidents in the world's busiest waterways, and their information now integrates closely with the AIS and ECDIS displays on the bridge.