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Last April, the Port of Aveiro completed the VTS Technological Modernisation project, a project that represents a significant step forward in enhancing navigation safety, operational efficiency and the digitalisation of port services.
The VTS — Vessel Traffic Service — is the system for controlling and monitoring maritime traffic in the port, ensuring the tracking of ships and vessels within the Port of Aveiro’s area of operation, as well as supporting the pilotage service in planning entry and exit manoeuvres.
With the new system now operational, the Port of Aveiro has greater capacity to monitor maritime traffic across the entire VTS operational area, with higher-quality and more detailed images and data. The system also enables better coordination with the pilotage service, contributing to faster operational decisions and greater safety during vessel manoeuvres.
This project also enhances the VTS’s capacity for continuous operation, 24 hours a day and 365 days a year, increasing the reliability of the service provided and reducing the risk of interruptions. Improved monitoring and the information available contribute to safer navigation, smoother vessel entry and exit, and the optimisation of port infrastructure.
In addition to enhancing safety and operational efficiency, the modernisation of the VTS contributes to the sustainability of the logistics chains that use the Port of Aveiro, by facilitating better management of port calls and manoeuvres, thereby helping to reduce waiting times and promote more efficient navigation practices.
Against a backdrop of increasing vessel sizes and stricter navigability requirements, the modernisation of the VTS represents a strategic investment for the competitiveness of the Port of Aveiro, enhancing its attractiveness within the Atlantic Corridor of the Trans-European Transport Network.
The investment associated with the operation amounted to €1.5 million and was supported by the Thematic Programme for Climate Action and Sustainability — Sustainable 2030, through the Cohesion Fund, with a co-financing rate of 85%.
