FOR : THE PORT MANAGERPMO Surigao

RE : Project Brief/Justification: Establishment of Vessel Traffic andSurveillance Control Center (VTSCC) at Port of Surigao

A. BACKGROUNDER:

The Universal Shipborne Automatic Identification System (AIS) is a vessel tracking system capable of communicating navigation information automatically between AIS equipped vessels and coastal authorities. Vessels equipped with a receiver can also benefit by knowing the whereabouts and intentions of these ships. AIS provides a tool for improved safety and collision avoidance.

The idea and initiative to acquire and install an Automatic Identification System (AIS) for Vessels at the Base Port of Surigao and other ports under the PMO largely came about during the search, rescue and retrieval operations conducted after the ill-fated M/V Maharlika II sank off Pintuyan in Southern Leyte last 13 September 2014 while sailing en route to the Port of Liloan from the Lipata Ferry Terminal.

As the designated “Incident Command Center,” the Port of Lipata served as the main coordination hub for search, rescue and retrieval operations of the Philippine Navy, Philippine Coast Guard and other entities, notably professional SCUBA divers based in Surigao City. Status updates, press briefings and other fora made extensive use of the AIS to pinpoint locations, sites, etc.

Seeing the AIS at work and how it made a tremendous difference in the conduct of SAR for the MV Maharlika II, PMO Officials were convinced of the benefits of installing a shore-based system at strategic sites under PMO Surigao’s AOR

B. BENEFITS OF AIS/RELEVANT APPLICATIONS

1. Traffic Control and Collision Avoidance System:

In a very general sense, the AIS system is similar to the air traffic control system only applied to marine traffic. This mandatory regulation requires all vessels to carry an AIS transponder making ships aware of each other's position. Port Authorities with receiving stations can use AIS to increase transportation efficiency and safety by identifying, tracking and supervising the movement of these large vessels as they head into harbor, or navigate along in-land waterways or dangerous coast. With the proposed construction of P340-million fish port in this city, traffic at the approach leading to the port of Surigao will tremendously increase as scores of fishing vessels make its way to the fishport landing wharf, alongside larger vessels.

The proposed fish port project is to be located at Barangay Canlanipa, practically adjacent to the eastern (delineated) zone and borders the area under the proposed medium term expansion of the Port of Surigao. It is expected that once the facility operates, the turning basin will soon get crowded with small fishing boats which may not be readily visible to large ships, increasing the collision risks or cases of small crafts being run over by large vessels (ie. bulk carriers). The proposed fish port will have a fish landing wharf of 140 lineal meters, 10 meter x 80 meter commercial fish landing pier, 4-hectare port terminal, breakwater, bulkhead and revetment causeway.

Given this scenario which in all likelihood may be the norm in the future, Vessel Traffic Services in the Port of Surigao becomes an imperative necessity to ensure safe and secure navigation.

2. Maritime Safety and Security at Ports

With an installed AIS, the Port of Surigao is now capable of identifying specific vessels and their activity within or near the nation's exclusive economic zone/territorial jurisdiction. For ports on the critical border areas, such as government ports in Mindanao’s Pacific (eastern) seaboard, AIS can be utilized for surveillance and monitoring security situations (and collected AIS data may be shared by the Authority to maritime security entities such as the Philippine Navy).

Digital CCTV Surveillance system using IP cameras capable of wireless transmission central facility can be integrated. A basic ‘trio’ of integrated systems – (1) AIS + (2) Digital Wireless CCTV Surveillance System + (3) VHF Radio Voice Datalink – can satisfy the requirements of a small to medium size port facility for the setup can deliver performance and control comparable to a full-scale, radar-equipped VTMS (similar to the system installed in Batangas). Application software to ‘integrate’ the aforementioned systems can be downloaded in many maritime industry websites.

3. As Aid to Navigation (AtoN) in all weather conditions:

The use of AIS as an AtoN can provide the following services to AIS equipped vessels:

• Provide identification of the AtoN in all weather conditions such as buoys, major floating aids ;• Complement existing signals from AtoN (e.g. AIS equipped lighthouse); • Transmit accurate positions of floating AtoN; • Provide weather, tidal, and sea state data

In addition, PPA ports at the Pacific Seaboard, may function as a ‘Port of Refuge’ during extreme weather and can guide AIS-tracked vessels in seeking shelter.

C. ESTABLISHMENT OF VESSEL TRAFFIC AND SURVEILLANCE CONTROL CENTER

With the acquisition and installation of AIS at the Port of Surigao, the proposal to upgrade the existing analogue CCTV system with that of the new Digital IP-based CCTV System, and minor improvements on the existing Marine VHF Radio Voice Link Facility, this Office request Management’s approval to setup and establish a command/monitoring center at the top floor of the PMO Administration Building to be referred to as the “VESSEL TRAFFIC AND SURVEILLANCE CONTROL CENTER”.

Since this Office already has acquired and installed an AIS shore based station at the Port of Surigao, the acquisition of digital wireless (IP-based) CCTV system, upgrading of VHF Radio Voice Data Link and the construction of physical facility patterned after standard seaport control centers are the requirementS left to establish an AIS-based VTMS at the Port of Surigao

D. SUBSCRIPTION PLANS TO AND OTHER ISSUES:

Although the AIS acquired by this Office includes a proprietary application software and data link to AIS Satellite Servers to make it function as an autonomous shore based station, it can only track vessels within the range of its antenna coverage. Hence, other features such as tracking the real time position of a vessel still underway towards Port of Surigao, yet still beyond out of the AIS

range, is not possible. However, a registered AIS station can track the real time position of any vessel tracked by any AIS station (registered at marinetraffic.com.) To date, the Surigao station is a registered marinetraffic.com receiver (ID no. 1218). To illustrate, a vessel carrying heavy equipment from China destined for Surigao can be tracked during the berthing meeting a day before her

arrival. With AIS, one can know her exact position, arrival draft, cargo contents, etc. Harbor Pilots can also benefit from advance information through AIS. Yet this feature can only be availed through subscription with marinetraffic.com

Aside from the applications described, another salient feature in maritimetraffic.com which may further improve the PMO’s collection efficiency is the option to avail of a tracked vessel’s “Voyage History.” The PRO Plan gives subscribers the privilege of accessing a tracked vessel’s movements for 60 days. With no operations officers monitoring foreign loading ore on anchorage at private ports, there is no foolproof way to determine vessel stay and/or movements which are bases for the computation of port charges.

With bulk carriers averaging 15 to 20-day port stays, a 60-day voyage history is more than enough to verify claims of ship agents/owners to insure proper charges are correctly assessed. Currently, the PMO avails of the basic (free) plan where one can only accessed three-day archived data and sought Management’s clearance to avail of the PRO plan which costs $108 per month. (Please refer to Annexes 06 and 07 for screenshots of subscription plans and “voyage history”).

For Management’s information.

NOLE C. NUSOGBDMO/ICT Site Admin.