ABSTRACT
The VTS systems allow for the close monitoring of vessels within port approaches and port areas themselves, while AIS allows for the monitoring of vessels throughout their voyage and indeed while the vessel is in port, as long as the AIS transponder is switched on. The drawbacks with any of these systems is that they identify the ship, but not its crew, its cargo or complement of passengers. Equally, the AIS system is still subject to a slight delay between the time the transponder emits the signal and the time this registers on the system and registers the ship’s position.
