THE EVOLUTION OF A PORT INFORMATION SYSTEM

Today the safety of our ports and waterways is of more concern than ever. Nearly half of the 1.5 billion tons of cargo moving in and out of U.S. ports annually represents either petroleum products or chemicals. With more than 1,500 ship collisions and groundings occurring in or adjacent to our waters each year, the risk of widespread pollution is a genuine menace as well as a sensitive public issue. The Ports and Waterways Safety Bill now before the Congress will, if enacted, vest additional authority in the Coast Guard to protect our ports and waterways from accidental pollution. Thus the way will be clear for implementation of vessel traffic systems in our major port areas. The Coast Guard has already established voluntary ship traffic separation schemes in the approaches to our major East and West Coast ports. Legislation to provide compulsory bridge-to-bridge radiotelephone communications will enable safer passage of ships through restricted waters. In San Francisco, an experimental harbor advisory radar system has been installed to further enhance navigational safety. The author suggests that the time is ripe to consider a systems approach to port safety. He outlines a concept by which evolving communications, electronic surveillance, and computer technologies may be pooled to provide a truly effective port information system of benefit to all users.

• Supplemental Notes:
  • Presented at the April 24-26th 1972 New Orleans RTCM Assembly Meeting. Volume 1-Papers AA and A thru F-Marine Traffic Systems, Volume 2-Papers G thru L-Safe Ship Operations, Volume 3-Papers M thru Q-Maritime Satellite Systems, Volume 4-Papers R thru Z-Trends in Maritime Communications. SOLD ONLY AS A COMPLETE FOUR VOLUME SET $10.00 PER SET.
• Corporate Authors:

  Radio Technical Commission for Marine Services

  P.O. Box 19087
  Washington, DC  United States  20036
• Authors:
  • JOHNSON, R W
• Publication Date: 1972-4-24

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Communication systems; Harbors; Information systems; Pollution control; Port operations; Radar; Vessel traffic control
• Old TRIS Terms: Harbor advisory radar
• Subject Areas: Marine Transportation; Operations and Traffic Management; Terminals and Facilities;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00033703
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: Radio Technical Commission for Marine Services
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Sep 15 1972 12:00AM