Virtual Regional Maritime Traffic Centre

[European]

http://www.marina.difesa.it/vrmtc/index.asp

THE VIRTUAL MARITIME TRAFFIC CENTRE

1. The System’s feature

The Virtual Regional Maritime Traffic Centre is a virtual network connecting the operational centres of the all Navies adhering to the initiative.

This network, resorting to Internet’s capacities, provides unclassified information on merchant shipping consisting of 300 tons or more units.

The data are delivered according to a specific format (MERSIT), developed by the Italian Navy, and gathered by an HUB located at CINCNAV, making them available to all the participants. This system, exploiting Internet, commercial platform and software, established by the Italian Navy, proves to be not much expensive and easy to be managed.

2. Background

On occasion of the 4th “Seapower Symposium for the Navies of the Mediterranean and Black Sea Countries” held in October 2002, all the delegates agreed on the requirement of enhancing the maritime traffic’s security in Mediterranean Sea, through related initiatives, aimed of safeguarding security of regional maritime activities.

Therefore , the Italian Navy decided to promote a project out of all the alliances, but allowing the adhering Navies to choose their own level of participation and look over the data delivery.

In June 2003, in order to assess the approval by concerned Navies, the Italian Navy forwarded a questionnaire, aimed at verifying their availability to join the Project.

The initiative was favourably received by almost all the contacted Navies who also gave their suggestions, allowing the Italian Navy Staff, supported by CINCNAV, MARICOGECAP and MARITELE Rome, to set up the first step of the Project.

During the 5th Seapower Symposium, held in Venice in October 2004, the Italian Navy was ready to present the “Pilot Project Virtual Regional Maritime Traffic Centre (V-RMTC)”, immediately resulting in a great success.

Since the beginning of the project’s presentation, has been recorded an highly qualified and remarkable participation by the Mediterranean and Black Sea Navies to all the events that, since 2004 have highlighted transition from the developing step to the operational one, started on September 20th 2006.

3. Current Situation

From September 20th 2006, the V-RMTC has achieved a technical standard that can easily and efficiently operate, counting on inexpensive hardware and software.

In parallel to the technical development a legal framework for the V-RMTC, named “Operational Arrangement”, was established and on October 12th 2006, during the 6th Seapower Symposium the following 17 Countries signed it: Portugal, Spain, France, Slovenia, Croatia, Montenegro, Albania, Greece, Turkey, Cyprus, Malta, Jordan, Israel, Romania, UK and USA.

Ever since its presentation, the V-RMTC has gained great credibility, outside our region, as well, indeed, on occasion of the “Full Operational Capabilities Meeting” held in La Spezia in May 2006. On this occasion also other Countries (such as India, Singapore, Ireland and Mexico) sent their observers in order to assess the possibility to establish similar ones in their geographical zones.

The Community of the 17 Signatory Countries to the O.A. is known as the “Wider Community”, in order to distinguish it from the community adhering to the “Parent Fusion Centres”. These are exactly the same as the V-RMTC, but consisting of these Countries that, due to different reasons, do not wish to participate to the Wider Community.

There is no data exchange between the Wider Community and the Parent Fusion Centres.

Currently, there is only one project for the establishment of a Parent Fusion Centre. This project falls within the “5+5 Initiative”, ensuing from an Italian proposal presented on occasion of the “5+5 Maritime Security in the Western Mediterranean” (Rome, September 2006).

The Parent Fusion Centre developed within the “5+5 Initiative” followed an independent roadmap of the Wider Community’s one.

Such process reached its height with the last “5+5 Steering Committee” (Nice, 13 – 15 November 2006) where the Italian delegation presented the final document for the establishment of a V-RMTC 5+5 NET.

Finally, it is to be remarked the V-RMTC operational engagement in Lebanon, during Operation “LEONTE”, on a bilateral Italian – Lebanese agreement basis, allowing cooperation in a very delicate field, such as Recognized Maritime Merchant Picture for Lebanon (RMMP-L).

4. Way Ahead

From a technical point of view, the V-RMTC, based on a step by step development concept, is an increasingly dynamic system that minimize costs for implementation and management.

In 2007, it is scheduled a very intensive work, aimed at improving and increasing information gathered within the V-RMTC.

Besides a technical improvement, the effort will be aimed also at widening the number of Countries adhering to the Wider Community.

Within the “5+5 Initiative” , it has already scheduled a series of important events in order to achieve the O.A. signature and therefore the establishment of the V-RMTC 5+5 NET.

The “5+5” Countries decided to use the V-RMTC (Hardware and Software) system during the exercise “CANALE 07” that, on this occasion, will shift into a multilateral 5+5 activity.

The V-RMTC also played an important role during the meeting of the 8+6(1) Initiative , held in Baharain, on December 10th 2006.

All the Countries showed a great interest in the V-RMTC, hence the proposal to organize a dedicated seminar in La Spezia is likely to be held in September 2007.

This activity is introductory to a feasible exportation of the V-RMTC project in the Arabic Gulf Region.

(1) France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Portugal, United Kingdom, + Saudi Arabia, Baharain, United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Oman and Qatar.