FOR :

THE PORT MANAGER

PMO Surigao

RE
:
and

Project Brief/Justification: Establishment of Vessel Traffic

Surveillance 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 Surigaos 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 Mindanaos 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 Managements 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 PMOs collection efficiency is the
option to avail of a tracked vessels
Voyage History. The
PRO
Plan
gives
subscribers the privilege of accessing a tracked vessels 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
Managements 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 Managements information.

NOLE C. NUSOG
BDMO/ICT Site Admin.