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| Home > Publications and press releases > Press Releases | ||
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| Upgrading of ship tracking system to cope with traffic growth | ||
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| The Marine Department's Vessel Traffic Services
(VTS) System will be replaced and upgraded to further enhance
the efficiency and safe operation of the port and to meet the
future demands in traffic growth. In a recent call for tenders
exercise, the Holland Institute of Traffic Technology (HITT),
with Pacific Century CyberWorks-HKT (PCCW- HKT) as its sub-contractor,
has been awarded the $158 million contract for the project. Speaking
at a contract signing ceremony today (September 6), the Director
of Marine, Mr Tsui Shung-yiu, said that members of the public
were assured of Marine Department's commitment to enhance navigation
safety and traffic efficiency through this project. He said that
signing of the official contract marked the fruitful transition
of the project from its planning and feasibility study stage to
the development and implementation stage. "It also opens
a new chapter in the development of the Hong Kong VTS System in
the beginning of the 21st Century," he said.
The existing VTS System was first launched in October 1989 with an objective to improve navigation safety and traffic efficiency. Majority of the equipment will soon be reaching the end of its serviceable life. In order to avoid the VTS System's performance and reliability being adversely affected and to maintain the same level of quality services delivered to the shipping community, the Marine Department started to plan for the replacement and upgrading project two years ago. "When the project is completed in 2001, the VTS System will be equipped with the most advanced surveillance and communication equipment in line with the latest International Maritime Organisation (IMO) requirements," Mr Tsui said. The new system can track 5,000 targets which is over 12 times the existing capability. Signals from the currently manned local control stations at Ma Wan and Kwai Chung will be integrated into the Vessel Traffic Centre. The VTS System will also incorporate enhanced features such as an Automatic Vessel Identification System and a Closed Circuit Television System. "These two new surveillance sensors together with a network of ten upgraded radars and communication system will greatly improve the tracking and identification capability of marine traffic," Mr Tsui said. The Director added that the upgraded Informatics sub-system would also serve as an information-sharing centre, whereby the general public could gain access to the information of ships in Hong Kong waters at any time round-the-clock. On training of qualified VTS operators, the Marine Department has established a VTS training section to design and develop its VTS training programmes. An integrated VTS simulator will be installed in the new system to facilitate training. In future, the VTS qualification of the department's trained staff will be in line with IMO's recommendation and will meet the certification and accreditation standards of International Association of Lighthouse Authorities. Whilst the new system is being developed, Mr Tsui said that the Marine Department would continue to exercise vigilance in improving navigation safety in Hong Kong waters. "A series of proactive traffic management measures will be introduced, namely the one-way traffic along Kap Shui Mun waterway, the traffic management for constructing the Container Terminal No.9, and the traffic reorganisation off west of Lamma Island," he said. In today's ceremony, the contract was signed by Director of Electrical and Mechanical Services, Mr Leung Cham-tim, and Managing Director of HITT, Mr Luuth Sander van der Scheer, and was witnessed by Mr Tsui and Director of Corporate Sales of PCCW -HKT, Mr Tommy Chung. Tuesday, 6 September 2000 |
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