Vessel Traffic Services

Vessel Traffic Services (V.T.S.) in Maritime Law

Note: There is more information on maritime/admiralty law here.

The following is a definition of Vessel Traffic Services (V.T.S.), produced by Tetley, in the context of admiralty law: Systems facilitating safe and efficient vessel traffic movement to or from ports, or within restricted sea areas adjacent to the coasts of states, under which ship traffic is subject to the supply or exchange of information, or the giving of advice or instructions, by coastal stations. On November 27, 1997, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) adopted Resolution A.857(20), entitled “Guidelines for Vessel Traffic Services”. That Resolution defines a V.T.S. as “a service implemented by a Competent Authority, designed to improve the safety and efficiency of vessel traffic and to protect the environment. The service should have the capability to interact with the traffic and to respond to traffic situations developing in the V.T.S. area.” See generally Russell MacWilliam & Darryl Cooke, “VTS: lifting the fog of legal liability” [2006] LMCLQ 362-389. V.T.S. systems often operate in conjunction with Traffic Separation Schemes (T.S.S.), (see this legal term in this law dictionary).

Vessel Traffic Services in Admiralty Law

For information on vessel traffic services in this context, see the entry on vessel traffic services in the maritime law encyclopedia.