Wärtsilä has agreed a deal to supply its Vessel Traffic Service (VTS) technology to two French ports, Calais and Boulogne, following an order placed by Région Hauts-de-France, the government entity responsible for the tender.
Calais is the number one port in France for passenger traffic and the second largest port in Europe for RoRo vessel traffic, while Boulogne-sur-Mer is the top fishing vessel port in the country. Calais currently handles 10 million passengers, 44 million tons of goods, and 2 million trucks per year.
The Wärtsilä system to be provided is used to optimise planning and traffic monitoring to reduce waiting time for vessels, allowing for ‘just-in-time’ pilotage. It will be delivered as part of the deployment of ‘Calais Port 2015’, a major French national construction project, and is the first maritime project within the European Union’s investment plan for priority infrastructure.
“Wärtsilä’s Smart Marine Ecosystem approach utilises connectivity and the latest digital technology to raise the efficiency and safety levels of not only individual ships and complete fleets, but also port operations as well,” said Dmitry Rostopshin, General Manager, Ship Traffic Control Solutions, Wärtsilä Marine.
“The VTS solution is a central part of this approach, which delivers tangible benefits to all the various stakeholders.”
Wärtsilä will also supply a VTS simulator for the ongoing training of the port’s staff as part of the package, with Calais to become the first port in France to have its own VTS simulator installed. The scope of delivery additionally includes two solid state IALA radars, which will be integrated with the port’s existing radars, and seven operator workshops.
