1.1.9.3 A traffic organisation service is a service to prevent the development of dangerous vessel traffic situations and to provide for the safe and efficient movement of vessel traffic within the VTS area.
1.1.10 Allied services - services actively involved in the safe and efficient passage of the vessel through the VTS area.
1.1.11 Hazardous cargoes - include those goods identified by national law as hazardous.
1.1.12 Inland waters - waters landwards of the baselines which are established in accordance with international law.
2 GENERAL CONSIDERATIONS FOR VESSEL TRAFFIC SERVICES IN INLAND WATERS
2.1 Objectives
2.1.1 The purpose of VTS is to improve the safety and efficiency of navigation, safety of life and the protection of the environment and/or the adjacent shore area, work sites and installations from possible adverse effects of vessel traffic.
2.1.2 The benefits of implementing a VTS are that it allows identification and monitoring of vessels, strategic planning of vessel movements and provision of navigational information and assistance. It can also assist in prevention of pollution and co-ordination of pollution response. The efficiency of a VTS will depend on the reliability and continuity of communications and on the ability to provide good and unambiguous information. The quality of accident prevention measures will depend on the system's capability of detecting a developing dangerous situation and on the ability to give timely warning of such dangers.
2.1.3 The precise objectives of any VTS will depend upon the particular circumstances in the VTS area and the volume and character of vessel traffic as set forth in 3.2 of these Guidelines.
2.1.4 The International Maritime Organization (IMO) has developed guidelines on VTS (A.857(20)) which can be used when planning and implementing a VTS. However, these guidelines only address seagoing vessels which have to comply with SOLAS ("maritime" vessels) and only address VTS in coastal, port approach and port areas ("maritime" VTS).
2.1.5 VTS is also used in inland waters, not only in port approach and port areas but also further inland. In all those areas non-maritime vessels also operate. To achieve the objectives of a VTS in these waters these vessels should also be able to participate in a VTS when desired. The IMO Guidelines on VTS are not always entirely suitable for these waters and vessels. For instance, other means of communication between the VTS and the vessel are used as not all non-maritime vessels have means of communication as prescribed for maritime vessels in SOLAS chapter IV.
2.1.6 IMO has no competence over non-maritime vessels and inland waters. Some competent and VTS authorities responsible for the inland waters are not involved in IMO and might therefore not be aware of the IMO guidelines. When planning and implementing VTS in inland waters meeting the needs of non-maritime vessels the resulting "inland" VTS might differ substantially from maritime VTS.
2.1.7 Vessels move from one VTS area to another. Differing operation of the VTS might lead to confusion to the master of these vessels. Consequently, adverse effects on achieving the objectives of the VTS might arise. As this can apply to masters of inland vessels there is a need to harmonise inland VTS through international guidelines suitable for application in all inland waters in a waterway system. As this can also apply to masters of maritime vessels when entering inland waters these international guidelines should be applied world-wide and should follow the IMO guidelines as closely as possible and be used if the application of the IMO Guidelines is not considered to be appropriate.
