Seminar on the revision of IMO Resolution A.857(20) Guidelines for Vessel Traffic Services
IALA hosted a seminar on the revision of IMO Resolution A.857(20) Guidelines for Vessel Traffic Services from 26 to 27 June 2019. The seminar was held at IALA Headquarters attended by stakeholders with an interest in Vessel Traffic Services (VTS).
The seminar was attended by 77 participants, representing 25 countries and 7 Sister organisations.
The seminar was structured with presentations on relevant topics followed by open discussions covering the key issues to address in the revision. The presentations are available at – https://www.iala.int/meetings/seminar-on-imo-resolution-a-85720-for-vts/ and the report on this page: https://www.iala.int/product/seminar-on-the-revision-of-imo-resolution-a-85720-guidelines-for-vts/
Key outcomes were:
• The seminar achieved its aims by collating all comments from participants which will be considered by the Correspondance Group and forwarded to the VTS Committee;
• The seminar successfully engaged and informed those who may not have been involved in the preparation of the submission of a new output proposal (MSC 99/20/3) (approximately 40% of participants);
• That participants concluded that the new draft resolution was concise and mature;
• The revision is less prescriptive in line with a modern approach, more suitable for a rapidly changing world, references IALA VTS standards, avoids previous ambiguity and is a forward-looking document;
• That 96% of participants agreed that the concept of types of service (INS, TOS and NAS) was confusing and unnecessary;
• There is no need to distinguish between port and coastal VTS;
• That the draft resolution was positively received with wide ranging support at the seminar; and
• That participants were urged to contact the IALA Secretariat if they wished to co-sponsor the submission to IMO NCSR 7.
