The 11-year old Vessel Traffic Monitoring and Information System (VTMIS) serving ports in Cyprus has been upgraded following the agreement of a deal between the Cypriot government and Wärtsilä.
The order was placed in November 2019 by the Shipping Deputy Ministry to the President of Cyprus, and also includes a five-year equipment maintenance agreement.
The upgrade to the original system, installed in 2008, will enable the Cyprus VTMIS to more easily exchange information with other systems in the region, improving safety, facilitating coastal surveillance and traffic monitoring, and improving the overall operational efficiency of the region’s ports.
“Cyprus is strategically located in the north-eastern corner of the Mediterranean basin, at the intersection of major international and regional shipping lanes. Such a location has made the Cyprus ports a natural place of call for vessels sailing in and out of the Mediterranean region,” said Themis Evriviades, Senior Marine Surveyor, Port and Coastal State Directorate, Head of Maritime Surveillance and Anti-pollution Unit.
“Efficient vessel traffic monitoring and information is, therefore, extremely important for safety and a number of other reasons, which is why we are working closely with Wärtsilä. The main efforts of the Government of Cyprus are focused on continuous improvement of the existing maritime infrastructure.”
