Vessel Traffic Services (VTS) Fundamentals

This course will provide a useful insight into the establishment and operation of a VTS system. It will also seek to highlight key issues associated with the authorisation of a VTS and the appropriate delegation of this authority to VTS personnel. Through a review of case studies it will also highlight some of the emerging legal implications of both implementing and not implementing a VTS in Australia.

With VTS becoming more and more established globally its role and contribution to marine incident and accidents is increasingly scrutinised by accident investigators in post incident reviews. This course will seek to provide an understanding of the key legal implications associated with both implementing and not implementing a VTS.

The course will then focus more on the process of identifying the need for a VTS in a given waterway, in accordance with the international guidelines, and outline the stages that should be followed to ascertain the scope and design of a VTS technology solution for a given situation.

The current status of VTS in Australia will be considered and compared with the situation in other countries and the steps that need to be taken in order to achieve the standards promoted by international guidelines and recommendations will be discussed.

Finally, the course will review two shipping incident case studies where VTS is perceived to have played a role. Attendees will consider the actions of the VTS during the course of the incidents and the findings and possible implications of these findings for VTS in Australia in the future.