Port showcases new Vessel Traffic Service system (VTS) for Maritime Safety Week

To mark Maritime Safety Week, our Port Control team highlights the impact of its brand new Vessel Traffic Service (VTS) system since it was fully unveiled in the spring.

This £1.6 million investment is the biggest ever upgrade of its kind at the Port and sets the highest standards for managing risk and reducing incidents, both out at sea and within the harbour.

From the state-of-the-art Operation Room, with 360 degree views around the Port, the VTS team oversees safety of navigation in Europe’s busiest passenger port, and delivers vital safety information and advice to mariners out in the field through:

• A new tide and current gauge, measuring changes in sea level.
• MetOcean System that monitors wind speed/direction, temperature, air pressure and humidity, plus visibility and swell for the first time.
• Thermal and optical CCTV.
• Radar masts and ancillary systems.
• Most recently, a brand new stakeholder portal and mobile app, which delivers real time information captured from all of the above to stakeholders.

Steven Masters, Dover Harbour Master says:

“The Port handles around 1,700 commercial, 36,000 ferry and 9,500 leisure craft movements a year, so the VTS team has a huge responsibility to monitor and regulate this traffic. This innovative new system not only complies with international safety regulations and guidelines using state of the art technology, but enables us to roll out information immediately via the new mobile app and online portal.”

For further information, visit the VTS section of the website