Kongsberg Norcontrol IT Completes Upgrade

Kongsberg Norcontrol IT has completed an extensive $2.3m upgrade to the Humber Estuary VTS. The leading VTS and AIS specialist was commissioned by Associated British Ports (ABP) Hull & Goole to ensure safety of navigation as shipping traffic in the region increases year on year. Kongsberg Norcontrol IT installed the original VTS at Spurn Point in 1994 and extended the system in 1997 with a new Radar at Stone Creek and remote displays at King George dock Hull, data centre Hull, and Immingham. An AIS base station was later added at Spurn Point in addition to further Radar upgrades by ABP. Kongsberg Norcontrol IT has now updated the complete system to the latest version of its VTMIS5060 at Spurn, Immingham and Hull. Spurn Point continues to provide the Humber Estuary VTS Centre functions, while Immingham has been configured for Disaster Recovery and Emergency operations. The project also included the updating of the existing VTMIS5060 modules and the introduction of new satellite centers at Goole and Grimsby. Two new Kongsberg base stations were installed in Hull and Goole to substantially extend the up-river coverage of the system. Additionally, four new meteorological stations were added along the river. Two brand-new software functions were developed specifically for this project to ease operations for the Hydrographical Department and seamlessly exchange data with ABP's Port And Vessel Information System (PAVIS).