Keeping Watch Over Sydney Ports
Sydney Ports Corporation is trialling state-of-the-art technology to keep track 
'Joe Tripodi'
Jeni Bone
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of shipping movements on Sydney Harbour.
"We are currently evaluating prospective technologies that can be used to
establish a new Vessel Traffic Service (VTS) for Sydney and Botany Bay," said Ports and Waterways Minister Joe Tripodi.
"A VTS is designed to improve the safety and efficiency of vessel traffic and to
protect the environment."
Mr Tripodi said Sydney is one of Australia's first ports to introduce this
technology.
"VTS can be compared to a version of 'air traffic control', where all activity,
including ship movements, is monitored and timely contribution to evasive
action can be communicated to ships. The current technology is now over 10 years old and not comparable to technology being used in other major ports around the world."
Registrations of Interest for organisations wanting to provide this technology
were called earlier this year, with tenders to close in December. The three companies in the running, all international organisations with firstclass
credentials, will participate in the radar trial and use this as an
opportunity to demonstrate the capability of their systems.
"The radar trial will include setting up a Terma radar, from Denmark, on top of
a shipping container. The trial will be conducted over a three week period in a
fenced off area within Sydney Harbour National Park, with no disruption to
any of the activities in the park," Mr Tripodi said.
"The NSW Government is committed to ensuring that we are keeping the port
environments protected and investing in new technology is one way of doing
this.'
by Office of the Hon Joe Tripodi MP 
Palm Beach, QLD
