VTS: THE MISUNDERSTOOD SYSTEM

Capt. C. W. Koburger, Jr.

Peer Reviewed

Abstract:	Few concepts in today's maritime world can so quickly lead to argument as those gathered together under the heading of VTS. Some of this, at least, arises because the community has failed fully to grasp what VTS is. Control of marine traffic is here assumed to equate with marine traffic management-space management-effected through a VTS. Traffic management has both passive and active aspects, and to be effective requires adequate enforcement machinery. VTS is essentially a political creature, intended by the public to help insure politically adequate safety. Basic VTS functions are distributed between the VTC and the ship, with the VTC of necessity having plenary authority in emergencies, even over a ship underway. In the end, here, it is the Coast Guard the public holds responsible. VTS is today commencing to reach offshore, in the form of regional OVTM. Information integration/communications remain a problem. An internationally agreed outline VTS code would be most useful. There is no need for all this trouble over VTS.
Published in:	NAVIGATION: Journal of the Institute of Navigation, Volume 28, Number 3
Pages:	247 - 252
Cite this article:	Koburger, Capt. C. W., Jr.,, "VTS: THE MISUNDERSTOOD SYSTEM", NAVIGATION: Journal of The Institute of Navigation, Vol. 28, No. 3, Fall 1981, pp. 247-252.
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