Like air traffic controllers, but on the water

Every arrival, departure and berth of a ship together form a complex puzzle that the port planner and Vessel Traffic Services (VTS) operator put together every day. A port planner determines where and when ships dock and how to keep this traffic flow organised, while the VTS operator is the maritime counterpart of an air traffic controller and directs the ship to the right dock in real time. What does traffic control for advanced learners look like?

“Planning starts long before a ship reaches our port,” explains Wilfried Geeraerts, port planner at Antwerp-Bruges Port Authority. “After the advance notification, when the vessel is still at sea, we review the vessel’s suitability to enter and dock correctly. Do the dimensions and draught tally? Is it a tanker or another type of ship? Is the berth at the dock available when the vessel arrives?“

The planner determines exactly where in the port a ship is sailing to, while the VTS operators make sure it gets there safely. Even a berth is part of a system that is in constant motion. “The port is divided into sectors that are staffed around the clock. From our control room with radar images and cameras, we also have direct radio contact with the skippers,” explains VTS operator Pieter Deprettere. “Ships seem to sail slowly, but if your communications falter, things soon go wrong.“

“A planner looks hours or even days ahead,” adds Geeraerts. “We coordinate with shipping agents, shipping traffic control pilots and terminals. Our APICS system collects all data concerning shipping traffic in the Antwerp and Zeebrugge port area. All users see the schedule and changes in real time. But when ships are already underway, we often switch to direct communication.” “A direct line to the captain or pilot is also crucial for VTS operators,” says Pieter Deprettere. “Ships often pass each other at close range, which can be perfectly safe, as long as everyone knows what the other is doing.“

“Even so, it remains unpredictable,” continues Geeraerts. “A ship unexpectedly unable to leave, a storm, an incident… You have to constantly shift gears and find solutions. It’s intense, but even after 37 years I still get so much satisfaction from this job.” Deprettere nods. “Safety and the environment always take precedence over traffic flow.” The impact of each decision can be profound. “A misjudgement soon costs thousands of euros,” Geeraerts emphasises. “Everything has to be rescheduled, and any delay affects the entire nautical chain. In the beginning, that can be quite overwhelming.“

“What we do is just as intensive as air traffic control,” agrees Deprettere. “That’s why we work in shifts of just over an hour, with a rest every five hours. You have to stay mentally alert. I am a pilot, so I can compare the two situations. I spent nine months here training as a VTS operator according to the detailed regulations of the international framework for Vessel Traffic Services, but I recognise a lot from aviation.” A keenness to solve complex puzzles under time pressure is a task that planners and VTS operators already have in common…

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