Vessel traffic monitoring and information system (VTMIS) put into trail operation

Croatian Prime Minister JADRANKA KOSOSR and Head of Delegation of the European Union to the Republic of Croatia Paul Vandoren released today in Rijeka into trial operation Vessel Traffic Monitoring and Information System (VTMIS) which will increase safety of navigation at the Adriatic.

The establishment of this System is an obligation of the Republic of Croatia in the process of accession to the European Union. System is organized in three regional Centres for vessel traffic monitoring located in Rijeka, Split and Dubrovnik, and it's full operational application is predicted for 01 January 2012.

VTMIS guarantees reduction of the maritime accidents, improvement of action results of Search and Rescue at Sea, as well as efficiency in interventions in the case of sudden sea pollution from ships.

The integral part of this System is maritime radar system worth about five million EUR which was with 75 percent of assets financed by the European Union from the pre-accession PHARE 2006 programme, and the remainder was financed from the State Budget of the Republic of Croatia.

The System consists of ten radar stations of long range and high precision, related to coastal monitoring system fully covering approaches to major Croatian ports, internal sea waters, territorial sea and Protected Ecological and Fishery Zone.

Radars are positioned at the following locations: Sveti Martin (Rovinj), Razromir (Tribalj), Osorščica (Mali Lošinj), Vela Straža (Dugi otok), Žirje, Hum (Vis), Pleševo brdo (Lastovo), Gruj (Mljet), Labinštica (Trogir), Ilijino brdo (Konavle).

Along radars, integral part of the VTMIS is the coastal maritime system of the Automatic Identification System (AIS), maritime radio – communication system, and other systems that ensures insight into navigational circumstances at sea and which makes possible the interaction with participants of the maritime traffic.

For the needs of the Vessel Traffic Monitoring and Information System Service within the Ministry of the Sea, Transport and Infrastructure 32 employees are employed which were trained by representatives of Finnish, Swedish and Italian maritime administration which was entirely financed with 500.000 EUR from the pre-accession PHARE 2006 programme.