NPA said the Agency is taking steps to secure the Nation s Ports
In view of the current maritime security challenges around the world and mostly in certain parts of West and Central Africa, the management of Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) said the Agency is taking steps to secure the Nation’s Ports. The Authority has introduced a tracking system called, “Vessel Tracking System” (VTS) to help in securing the Calabar Ports.
Speaking with The Nation in his office, the Agency’s General Manager, Public Affairs Department of NPA, Chief Michael Ajayi, who spoke on behalf of management of the Agency on what they are doing about the security and safety of the nation’s waters and ports, said, NPA, in her resolve to ensure safety of navigation and protection of the marine environments within the Nation’s ports has decided to establish VTS stations in the country.
A Vessel Tracking System (VTS), Chief Ajayi explained ‘is a service implemented by a competent authority to improve the safety and efficiency of vessel traffic and to protect the marine environment’. The system, according to Chief Ajayi will also protect adjacent shore areas, work sites and offshore installations from possible adverse effects of maritime traffic.
Explaining how the device works, Ajayi said the service has the capability to interact with the traffic and response to traffic situations developing in the VTS area. He said the device are of two categories and have three levels of services. The categories are: port or Harbour VTS and a coastal VTS while the services are: information service (INS), traffic organisation service (TOS) and navigational assistance service (NAS). A Port or Harbour VTS is mainly concerned with vessel traffic to and from a port or harbor or harbours while a coastal VTS is mainly concerned with vessel traffic passing through the VTS area.
On what the benefits of VTS are, Chief Ajayi said they include the identification and monitoring of vessels, strategic planning of vessel movements and provision of navigational information and assistance to shipping. It also assists in the prevention of pollution and co-ordination of pollution responses, Ajayi explained.
The complete base station of the VTS for the Calabar Pilotage District which is located at the Maritime Academy of Nigeria (MAN), Oron, in Akwa Ibom State have operating console for both the VHF and MF/HF radio sets, Ajayi explained. Other components of the base station include one unit of MF/HF SSB radio (Sailor 5000 series), one unit of VHF/DSC radio (Sailor 5000 series), four units of antenna element and power supply units. Others are: Telex terminals to SSB units with printer, AIS receiver unit, AIS software installed and night and day binocular amongst other items.
Chief Ajayi said these installations have the capacity to interact with arriving vessels to Calabar Port fairway and monitor vessels’ movement to berth in Calabar Port. This installations, is the first in the country.
Source: The Nation