The TRNC Vessel Traffic Services System will become operational on July 20

Minister of Transport and Infrastructure Uraloğlu made a written statement on the Eastern Mediterranean Ship Traffic Service Project.

Stating that the final preparations for the commissioning of the system installed in TRNC are still ongoing, Uraloğlu stated that the construction works, hardware installations and software integration processes in the project have been completed.

“We have ensured the integration of OTS and radar data”

Pointing out that Türkiye's effectiveness in the Eastern Mediterranean will be further strengthened by the VTS Project in the Eastern Mediterranean, Uraloğlu said: “With the commissioning of the system on July 20, we will begin effective monitoring of shipping traffic in the sea areas of the TRNC. With the project, we will protect our interests in our blue homeland and be able to uninterrupted shipping traffic in the sea area between the surrounding seas of the TRNC and our country monitor thanks to the software and critical hardware we have developed.” “We will also strengthen our technological independence in this area exclusively with domestic and national resources.” gave his assessment.

Stating that the project was carried out by the General Directorate of Maritime Affairs and the contractor was HAVELSAN, Uraloğlu pointed out that the ship traffic service center established in Famagusta and the traffic monitoring stations in Karpaz, Sadrazamköy and Çayırova were integrated into the system. Pointing out that they integrated the Automatic Identification System (OTS) data in Selvitepe with the OTS and radar data in Kantara, Uraloğlu announced that they carried out remote backup and console installations at the Mersin Ship Traffic Services Center, completed the preparation processes and put the system into operation on July 20.

“We monitor continuously 24 hours a day”

Uraloğlu emphasized that traffic monitoring stations are among the main components of the system and continued as follows:

“Thanks to radars, cameras, communication devices, OTS systems and other sensors, we can carry out uninterrupted monitoring around the clock. Any ship within the framework of ship traffic services is immediately detected and the obtained data is simultaneously transmitted to both the center in TRNC and the Mersin Ship Traffic Services Center. Our radars, which are the most important element in our traffic monitoring stations, are SERDAR 7M radars manufactured by ASELSAN with domestic and national facilities.”

Uraloğlu informed about the advantages of the TRNC vessel traffic service system and pointed out that many operations are carried out such as: B. Vessel identification, uninterrupted monitoring and regulation of traffic, transmission of navigation information and general warnings, control of special areas, contribution to the monitoring of illegal activities, issuance of danger warnings, notification of relevant institutions in the event of emergencies such as accidents and fires, and exchange of meteorological data.