The provision of VTS and related hydrographical and meteorological data recording will bring an increased level of maritime safety and information availability to the maritime community, while increasing marine safety and security at Drogheda Port, its port limits and approaches and the greater border coastal cell of the north east Irish coast line.

The project is supported by the European Structural Funds, Interreg 111A Programme for Ireland and Northern Ireland 2000 - 2006, Priority 2, Measure 1, Project Ref: 017982.

The contract was awarded by Drogheda Port Company after extensive market analysis and a comprehensive wide-ranging tendering procedure. It follows other contracts for Transas to supply Vessel Traffic Services (VTS) systems and marine surveillance systems in Ireland, at the Port of Londonderry and the Port of Larne, and Portland Port in Dorset.

The system will be installed and officially handed to DPC in September 2005. Once fully operational it will help DPC to fulfill its primary responsibilities as the Statutory Harbour Authority, which is the management of shipping, the safety of navigation for all harbour users and the protection of the marine environment. Furthermore it will support DPC by providing navigational information such as vessel position, vessel movements, timings and speed, and will collect and record data to support DPC in maintaining emergency procedures/contingency plans and reporting and investigating oil pollution incidents.

The VTS will comprise a primary control room at DPC head office in Drogheda and secondary 'Slave' displays in the pilot building approximately two miles down river. It will provide operators/users with a modern user-friendly chart display with fully integrated radar and AIS overlay. Primary sensors include two remote radars, Automatic Identification System (AIS) transponder, modern high capacity wireless data communications linking the four remote sites, and two ruggedised high quality MPEG2 CCTV cameras.

Other sub-systems include a VHF radio system, VTS database, data recording/ playback, and a weather station with wind speed/direction sensors, air temperature/pressure, tide height and water temperature sensors from Aanderaa Instruments. Furuno Navnet navigation systems with radar, AIS and heading sensors will also be provided for each of the two pilot vessels.

Representatives from Transas' Marine Surveillance & Vessel Traffic Services (VTS) department will be on Stand 156 at the Seawork Exhibition between 14-16 June. Visitors are invited to come along for a chat and drink at any time, but particularly for the contract signing ceremony at 3.30pm on the 15th.

MJ Information No: 20798