Australia: Sydney Ports Corporation has signed a contract for the delivery of a vessel surveillance system for both Port Botany and Port Jackson (Sydney Harbour).
CEO of Sydney Ports, Grant Gilfillan, said that SOFRELOG would supply the new Vessel Traffic Services (VTS) System, which will be based at Port Botany and be operational by May 2011.
"This is an investment of over US$10.8 million in the latest technology to improve surveillance and tracking of all vessels including over 4,500 international ship movements a year," Mr Gilfillan said.
"This new, internationally-compliant system is a key project for Sydney Ports and a critical undertaking for Sydney Harbour and Port Botany.
"We will move from the current partly visual system to one in which we use world-best technology to enhance our surveillance, tracking and management of vessels to help improve the safety and efficiency of commercial vessel traffic movements and to better protect the marine environment by reducing risks of accidents.
"It will be designed to have a far greater ability to more accurately track all vessels using the latest technology and will combine information derived from multiple sensors including radar, CCTV, VHF and AIS technology, displayed and recorded in a flexible and integrated traffic image."
Sydney Ports Harbour Master Steven Young said that the project would replace the current system, which has been superseded by more modern technology.
"Our new VTS system will give us far greater ability to organise and manage traffic safely. It will also complement and support the future projected growth of trade at the expanded Port Botany," Captain Young said.
Mr Gilfillan said that SOFRELOG had been selected from a shortlist of tenderers following a trial of new systems in September 2008.
"While this company has the technology and software we need, much of the work on the new system will be carried out by local contractors Wave1, Daronmont and C4i," Mr Gilfillan said.
Mr Gilfillan said that until the new VTS became fully operational, Sydney Ports would continue to operate the current system from the Harbour Control Tower in Sydney Harbour.
