He said PTP would install its own Vessel Traffic System to coordinate the linkup of information provided by the Tanjung Piai radar by the third quarter of next year.

 

“VTS is an important tool promoting safety and protecting the environment.

 

“The areas we have identified with the system are risk grounding and water blockage with the channel, collision in precautionary areas and unauthorised use of PTP’s waters,” he said at a signing ceremony of the agreement recently.

 

National Security Department director general Datuk Jaafar Ismail signed on behalf of the Government.

 

The agreement allows PTP to tap information using the Government’s Tanjung Piai radar and transporting radar signal’s to PTP’s operations center via microwave link.

 

The information together with automated analysis would facilitate monitoring and control of the waters at the port.

 

Taufik said Rapads would give PTP the tools to monitor traffic along the Straits of Malacca and enable the port to monitor through microwave covering a radius of 24 nautical miles.

 

“This will provide vita information for all traffic within the port’s approach channel and precautionary area off Tanjung Piai. It will ensure a high-efficient flow of traffic entering and exiting the port,” he said.

 

Rapads is jointly developed by a local company, Puncak Teknologi (M) Sdn Bhd with France’s leading VTS supplier Solfrelog.

 

Taufik said PTP was now handling about 150,000 TEUs monthly and it experts the annual box volume to grow up to two million TEUs by the year end.

 

Jaffar said the government allowed PTP the use of the radar in a smart partnership concept which would increase port efficiency and productivity.

 

“The system is the first in the world when it was commissioned at Port Klang in 1998.

 

“It allows wider coverage and enough time for maritime authorities to plan the arrival of a ship,” he said.