The GOP announced the deployment of a new initiative to control and supervise the Vessel Traffic Management System (VTMS) at the Khalifa Bin Salman Port’s (KBSP) harbour control tower. As part of the new initiative the GOP will direct and supervise the operation of the VTMS centre to secure coastal surveillance and maintain sovereignty in Bahrain’s surrounding territorial waters.
A GOP delegation led by GOP Chairman, Shaikh Daij bin Salman Al Khalifa, Director General, Hassan Al Majed, and senior team members visited the control tower to commemorate the new initiative.
“GOP’s supervision of the VTMS will play a vital role in ensuring continuous surveillance of the territorial waters, compliance of safe navigation regulations and protection of the Kingdom’s marine environment,” Chairman of GOP, Shaikh Daij bin Salman Al Khalifa, said.
“Maintaining Bahrain’s sovereignty in its surrounding territorial waters, the high performance navigation system will further help us track live ship positions, closely monitor vessel traffic movement in the anchorage area, and on the main route to KBSP and regulate maritime traffic flow entering and leaving Bahrain’s ports,” he added.
“Strengthening the Kingdom’s coastal surveillance, we are confident that GOP’s control of the VTMS will ensure greater operational efficiency and higher service quality. As a regulator, the GOP remains committed to improve efficiency of ports and supervise all maritime activities to further Bahrain’s growth as a regional transshipment hub and maritime centre“, he added.
As part of its strategic plan, moving forward GOP aims to build a complete team of VTMS professionals by providing top-of-the-line training for existing staff and recruiting new professionals in order to take complete control and run the VTM System at KBSP.
Vessel Traffic Management System (VTMS) is one of the latest cutting-edge technology installed at the KBSP which helps to improve safety of vessel traffic, provide information regarding traffic situations during bad weather, regulate maritime traffic flow, improve planning of berth, anchoring area occupancy and traffic, track violation of navigational rules inside the controlled area and several other functions with the help of specially installed radar coverage.
GOP remains committed to demonstrating the professional excellence of the maritime and shipping industry and to offering quality services to meet the increasing needs of users and stakeholders alike. Recently GOP was awarded the ISO 9001:2000 Quality Management Systems (QMS) certification for conformity to the highest international standards across in all its activities across all departments within the organisation.