Flanders and the Netherlands collaborate successfully in respect of maritime traffic in the Scheldt region. This collaboration has a long history. The cross-border Scheldt Radar Chain is a tangible example of Flemish-Dutch partnership.
The Western Scheldt is a very busy access route to the Dutch and Flemish ports of Vlissingen, Terneuzen, Ghent and Antwerp. It is used by different kinds of vessels, such as ocean-going vessels and barges, ferries and fishing boats, and pleasure craft.
Wind, swells and shallows
Not only do these vessels need to take one another into account, they also need to contend with the tides, wind, swells and shallows.
The challenge
How do you guarantee safety and efficiency for maritime traffic 24 hours a day via a cross-border system? Is it possible to manage commercial maritime traffic more efficiently and in a more client-friendly way. The Scheldt RADAR Chain’s five stations are manned 24 hours a day by traffic controllers, who effectively guide maritime traffic in their areas. A VHF (Very High Frequency) marine telephone frequency is used for communication between the stations and the vessels, or between the vessels themselves. There are transmitters at various locations in the Scheldt area for this purpose. The transmitters/receivers are connected via a matrix to the relevant traffic control station and the Scheldt Coordination Centre in Vlissingen. Control panels for operating the transmitters have been installed at the workstations of the traffic controllers.
The result
This system enables all parties involved (such as traffic controllers, captains, waterway managers, the port authorities and port-based businesses) to communicate with one another and in future, vessels will be able to conduct all their mandatory reporting via a single contact point.
Several MEP Voice Communication Systems (VCS) are in use at Scheldt Radar Chain (SRK). The Scheldt Radar Chain covers the area of the North Sea over the West Scheldt till Antwerp. All shipping traffic is guided with destinations harbor Zeebrugge, harbor of Vlissingen, harbor Terneuzen, harbor Gent and harbor Antwerp. Several Radar Posts and VAHF Radio stations stand along the route. In total 6 VCS are in use where Traffic Controllers communicate with ships. In 2021 MEP executed a huge software upgrade in the VCS system where new functionalities have been added.
