The Vardø Vessel Traffic Service

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1 The Vardø Vessel Traffic Service For increased safety at sea NOR VTS Norwegian Oceanic Region Vessel Traffic Service

ALWAYS ON GUARD The Vessel Traffic Service is permanently staffed. The Norwegian Coastal Administration s (NCA) traffic managers have maritime and nautical expertise.

2 ALWAYS ON GUARD The Vessel Traffic Service is permanently staffed. The Norwegian Coastal Administration s (NCA) traffic managers have maritime and nautical expertise. Traffic managers have undergone internal training that includes domestic and international regulations. The service has participated in several exercises and incidents that have provided increased knowledge on the handling of incidents at sea and that have improved expertise on the traffic service s data and communications systems. COVERAGE MAP

ASSISTS TRAFFIC AT SEA The NCA is a national agency for: Coastal Management Maritime Safety Maritime Transport Emergency preparedness in case of acute pollution The NCA s new maritime traffic service

3 ASSISTS TRAFFIC AT SEA The NCA is a national agency for: Coastal Management Maritime Safety Maritime Transport Emergency preparedness in case of acute pollution The NCA s new maritime traffic service for Norway, Vardø Vessel Traffic Service (Call Signal NOR VTS), has as scope of operations in the Norwegian economic zone from the Swedish border in the south to the border between the Norwegian and Russian economic zones in the north, in addition to Svalbard and Jan Mayen. Within the area the VTS monitors tankers and other risk traffic using a vast network of monitoring sensors. On behalf of the Norwegian authorities the traffic control centre provides Vessel Traffic Services based on domestic and international regulations. This is the NCA s fifth traffic centre in Norway. The service has been established on behalf of the Ministry of Fisheries and Coastal Affairs to improve the safety and efficiency of vessel traffic and to protect the marine environment. Traffic monitoring through Vardø VTS will strengthen the NCA s ability to maintain this responsibility. Another important task is the management and control of the state emergency tow response service in Norway. In the case of incidents at sea, the traffic centre in Vardø and the emergency tow response service will be included as a part of the NCA s total resources in cooperation with the NCA s emergency department. If required, Vardø VTS and the emergency tow response service will also assist the Rescue Coordination Centres in North and South Norway. The Vardø Coastal Control also provides statistics for ships that sail with oil cargoes in the North.

4 AIS-SAT 1 ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY Vardø VTS has the following primary tasks: Monitor ship movements - record, identify and detect irregularities. Prevent accidents by maintaining constant dialogue with vessel traffic. Take action and alert when a situation requires it. Manage tugboat preparedness Norway. Monitor the coverage area in the Norwegian economic zone, Svalbard and Jan Mayen. Navarea 19 coordinator, issuing and sending of navigational warnings. Assembly and provision of statistics. 1st line response of the NCA. Contact in the agreement on international notification of acute pollution with Russia. Information exchange with Iceland. National coordinator of Single Hull, reporting to HELCOM/EMSA. To fulfil this responsibility in a safe and effective manner, Vardo VTS is equipped with the latest surveillance and communication technology. Central to this is: The NCA AIS chain (Automatic Identification System). The NCA AIS satellite. AIS data from Russia Telenor s coastal radio chain Long Range Identification and Tracking (LRIT) The Armed Forces coastal radar chain. The NCA s SafeSeaNet ship reporting system. The C-Scope map system. OSS (Operating Support System) The combination of these advanced technology systems enable the detection of irregularities in shipping. This alerts the VTS at an early stage and enables the implementation of preventive measures to avoid adverse incidents. In such cases, the vessel traffic service works closely with the NCA s emergency forces and other agencies, including the Armed Forces and the Rescue Coordination Centres in Norway.

5 SECurus In other words, Vardø VTS has a good overview of the coastal areas through technology and communication. The VTS follows larger vessels carrying hazardous or polluting cargo in the coverage area in the Norwegian economic zone and the fisheries zone around Svalbard. Vardø VTS receives information from the Norwegian and European reporting system SafeSeaNet and the AIS chain along the Norwegian coast. This information is integrated in the C-Scope monitoring system and OSS operator support system, providing the VTS with a good idea of the traffic pattern in the coverage area. It is the mission of the VTS collect, process and evaluate data on vessel traffic. Procedures for communication and reporting between vessels and the VTS have been designed to increase the security of vessels, crews and the marine environment. Risk vessels bound for Norwegian ports report to SafeSeaNet, and the NCA urges all tankers and other vessels over 5,000 gross tons to report to Vardø VTS on a separate reporting form. Combined with detailed nautical chart data and AIS information, this system solution strengthens the traffic managers ability to coordinate maritime traffic, prevent incidents and ensure safety at sea in Norway and Svalbard. The vessels report the ship s: Size Cargo volume Cargo type Bunker oil Position Crew and passengers Departure port and time Arrival port and time

6 AKSELSUNDET SINGLE HULL Vardø VTS is the national coordinator for following up of tankers with single hulls. This is based on regulations that prohibit the transportation of heavy oil in single hull vessels in our waters. The task of the VTS is to identify the vessel and cargo on board and report the incident in a European database. EXTREME WEATHER WARNINGS Vardø VTS receives extreme weather warnings that are issued by the Norwegian Meteorological Institute. The task of the VTS is to forward the extreme weather warnings within the NCA and to affected partners. STATE EMERGENCY TOW RESPONSE SERVICE Vardø VTS is responsible for the daily allocation and operational use of the vessels for emergency tow response. This response consists of 5 vessels located according to weather and traffic pattern. The vessels are manned by personnel with expertise in handling incidents at sea. SINGLE HULL VARDØ VTS NAVAREA 19 COORDINATOR The International Maritime Organization (IMO) and the International Hydrographic Organization (IHO) expanded the global maritime navigational warnings service NAVAREA to Arctic waters in The NCA has taken on responsibility as coordinator of NAVAREA XIX, which is one of the areas in the IMO/IHO s global navigation warning service. The NCA has delegated this task to Vardo VTS. The area that Vardo VTS is responsible for covers the waters between Greenland and the Russian border and extends from 65 degrees north along the Norwegian coast and up to the North Pole. THE VTS transmits regular messages twice a day at 06:30 and 18:30 UTC. Messages are transmitted more frequently as required.

ABOUT VARDØ VTS Vardø VTS monitors Svalbard Passenger vessels and vessels above 24 metres that sail in the waters around Svalbard are required to report to Vardø VTS The vessels report Name Call Sign

7 ABOUT VARDØ VTS Vardø VTS monitors Svalbard Passenger vessels and vessels above 24 metres that sail in the waters around Svalbard are required to report to Vardø VTS The vessels report Name Call Sign Position Time Planned route In addition the VTS receives data from AIS-SAT 1, which was launched from India in the summer of The Bellsundet/Akselsundet VTS area Vessels to sail through Akselsundet (approach to Svea) must obtain permission from Vardø VTS and follow the regulations that apply to the waters. The Melkøya/Hammerfest VTS area Gas and tanker vessels must obtain permission from Vardo VTS to use the waters and follow the regulations that apply to the waters. For safety reasons, the waters surrounding Melkøya at a distance of 1.5 nautical miles are closed to all ship traffic on arrival and departure from the Melkøya terminal MELKØYA SVALBARD CONTACT INFORMATION FOR VARDØ VTS NOR VTS MMSI no.: Telephone: Fax: VHF: nor.vts@kystverket.no Calling NOR VTS is possible on all channels administered by Telenor Maritime Radio. Navarea XIX Telephone: Fax: navarea19@kystverket.no Web:

8 Tlf.: Postboks Ålesund

REGULATION on the Maritime Traffic Service and vessel traffic monitoring and information system.

REGULATION on the Maritime Traffic Service and vessel traffic monitoring and information system. CHAPTER I General provisions Article 1 Central administration, purpose and role The Minister of Transport