Vessel Traffic Services & Local Port Services VTS is an important tool in contributing to the safety of life at sea, safety of navigation and protection of the marine environment. VTS is made up of one or more of three service types; Information, Traffic Organisation and Navigational Assistance. A Local Port Service is where VTS is considered excessive, but there is still a need to disseminate information to those using the port. This is not a lower standard or poorer service, it just means that VTS is not provided. Please use the following links to find further information on the requirements and guidelines:
Training Standards for VTS Operators - MGN 318. Navigation: Vessel Traffic Services (VTS) and Local Port Services (LPS) in the United Kingdom MGN 401 Designation of VTS Stations in the UK - MSN 1796 IMO Guidelines for VTS - www.imo.org The IALA brochure "What a shipmaster can expect from a VTS and what is expected of a shipmaster" |