Fintraffic’s Vessel Traffic Services will digitalise the special instructions known as the Master's Guide of VTS Finland. The aim is to offer ships arriving in Finnish ports and other stakeholders a completely new digital service, through which all important instructions for vessel traffic can be found in one place. The new Master’s Guide is a calling card for Finnish shipping and smooth port calls. It will be built as part of the new Maritime Traffic Notification Service (NEMO). What is the new service about? What are the benefits provided by the digitalised service compared to traditional PDF instructions? How have maritime operators been involved in the development of the service?
Master’s Guides are sources of information intended especially for deck officers working on ships, who visit Finnish ports and seek information on the practices followed in the country and the VTS area. They provide information on matters such as the operation of the VTS system, the duties of the master of the vessel, and the contact information critical for the port calls. Until now, the Master’s Guides used by the vessels have been in PDF format, but the new service will make them available in a digital and more user-friendly format.
“The new Master’s Guide is an online service that collects all important information and sources of information needed by those using the routes in the same place. It is a modern and flexible data platform that supports the communication of maritime transport operators and safe and smooth traffic to VTS areas. In addition, the service creates new added value for the sector, all the way from route planning to departure from port,” says Esa Kallio, Development Manager at Fintraffic’s Vessel Traffic Services.
Future vision: targeted information based on port call notifications
The digitalised Master’s Guides are part of Fintraffic’s Vessel Traffic Services’ strategy. It is aimed at building new productised services for the needs of vessel traffic, safety first. In the coming years, the new digital Master’s Guide service will make it possible to efficiently transmit maritime warnings or information on prevailing conditions. It also enables improved presentation of traffic rules in VTS areas, including meeting and overtaking prohibition areas. Understanding the needs and wishes of stakeholders was placed at the core of the development work.
“Almost one hundred people from different maritime activities took part in the concept phase of the service. Since then, the development work has continued in collaboration with the end users. An intensive system development phase is now underway, and the new online service will be published at the end of the year. The old Master’s Guide documents in PDF format will be maintained alongside the new service for the duration of a sufficiently long transition period,” Kallio says.
The Master’s Guide is being developed alongside the Maritime Traffic Notification Service NEMO project entity. The long-term vision is to develop the service further so that vessels will receive targeted information related to their own journey based on the port call notification made in the new information management system. Another aim is to build integration between different online services in the maritime sector.
