September 30, 2023 — In recent years, Taiwan Port Corporation has gradually implemented the Taiwan Port Cluster Smart Transformation Plan (Trans-SMART) and continued to move towards the goal of establishing a smart seaport. The smart transformation of the Vessel Traffic Service System (VTS) is also an important part of it.
Through upgrading VTS equipment, assisting ship monitoring and early warning detection functions in an intelligent manner, and integrating various IoT information to reduce the probability of maritime incidents are important goals of VTS’s intelligent transformation. Since its inception in 1996, the Taichung Port Vessel Traffic Service System (VTS) has been of great help in promoting Taichung Port’s traffic lane separation and provision of accurate and real-time ship dynamic information for maritime traffic management, as well as ship security and other systems. However, the traditional ship traffic service system uses radar and very high frequency radio (VHF) as the main tools and is a “technology-oriented” system. In order to improve the efficiency of port operations and ensure the safety of ships at sea, while integrating electronic chart (ECDIS), radar (RADAR), automatic identification system (AIS) information, etc., the Taichung Port Branch began the Handled Taichung Port Vessel Traffic Service System (VTS) upgrade case on March 14, 2011. This case improves the function of the ship navigation intelligent assistance system, and implements a smart port action plan in response to the unique geographical environment and climate of Taichung Port, including the configuration of 6 automatic detection of traffic anomalies in the port area. The large warning functions include intelligent warning functions such as ship collision, dock collision, deviation from the route, anchor monitoring, restricted entry area and speed limit area, etc., thereby assisting VTS control personnel to monitor blind spots that may occur in the port area manually and achieve real-time early warning detection for accident prevention.
The six major alarm functions of this system are imported from the VTS management system developed by Japan Radio Co. , which has more than 40 years of practical experience. The VTS management system developed by this company has been used in the Philippines, Vietnam, Indonesia, Thailand, etc. It operates in more than 20 countries around the world and has a VTS training center in Malaysia. It continues to integrate the port management system into the VTS system, which can improve the safety and operational efficiency of the entire port.
The Taichung Port Branch will use this system to determine possible risks and automatically execute voice alarms and other smart auxiliary technologies, and greatly strengthen the monitoring of traffic dynamics in the commercial port area, so that VTS operators can continuously control the main channel, anchoring area and harbor waters, and other commercial port areas. The dynamic system can quickly provide various transportation assistance and services for ships entering and leaving Taichung Port, reducing port accidents, improving safety and port operation efficiency, and moving towards a new era of intelligent management.
