Safe and efficient port approach by vessel traffic management in waterways

Abstract

The vast majority of global transports are managed by waterborne transport and continuous trade increase calls for always more productive transport means and methods. Port approaches and waterways cannot become increased along with the increase of vessel size, especially in the container trade, and limits cannot become experienced by trial and error. Navigation errors may result in ship accidents with catastrophic consequences for man, material and environment. Therefore scientific methods are required to amend navigational expertise in order to enable management of waterborne traffic by exhausting the available infrastructure capacity without violating risk boundaries. Navigational requirements and conditions depend on manifold parameters which all must be taken into account when establishing an effective traffic management system as a further development of the existing vessel traffic service (VTS) systems. The paper elucidates the multidisciplinary views and contributions and provides an outlook into the current research path based on comprehensive experience from VTS-operations and the availability of advanced information and communication technologies.