Vessel Traffic Services Operator
- Regulators
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- Maritime and Coastguard Agency
- Nations
- United Kingdom
- Sectors
-
- Transport
Regulatory or professional bodies
Primary regulator
- Regulatory authority
- Maritime and Coastguard Agency
- Address
-
Spring Place, 105 Commercial Road
Southampton
SO15 1EG - Phone number
- +44 (0)2038 172 200
Regulation
Regulation summary
The MCA, on behalf of the Secretary of State issues Vessel Traffic Service (VTS) Operators Certification Logbook to personnel once they have met the qualifying conditions of the appropriate International Maritime Organization (IMO) and International Association of Marine Aids to Navigation & Lighthouse Authorities (IALA) recommendations and Guidelines.
Regulation type
Reserved activities
A holder of a VTS Certification Logbook and endorsement from a VTS Authority will be permitted to serve as a Vessel Traffic Service (VTS) Operator.
The endorsement will specify the grade at which the VTS Operator can serve and which of the following types of service the Operator is authorised to provide:
• Information Service (INS);
• Traffic Organisation Service (TOS);
• Navigational Assistance Service (NAS).
Qualifications and experience
New professionals
- Routes to qualification
-
The UK’s VTS ‘Training and Certification Strategy’ is the only approved route to acquire professional qualifications for VTS personnel in the UK.
UK VTS Operators are persons who have:
a. Successfully completed the VTS Operator training course at an MCA approved Training Organisation.
b. A UK VTS Certification log book issued by the MCA
c. Completed On-the-Job Training (OJT), at their sponsoring port or VTS Authority, and have an endorsement in their VTS Certification log book by the VTS authority.To enroll on a VTS Operator training V-103/3 course, there are three available routes for:
a. Candidates with acceptable marine qualifications,
b. Candidates with partial marine qualifications or
c. Candidates without acceptable marine qualificationsDepending on a candidate’s knowledge, experience and previous training which, if properly documented, may be recognised through the award of Accreditation of Prior Learning (APL) and/or Accreditation of Prior Experiential Learning (APEL). Where such evidence is documented and validated, training may be adjusted to reflect both the past formal training and experience of the candidate. Any APL and/or APEL are undertaken by accredited VTS training organisations and/or VTS authority's who will assess candidates on a case-by-case basis.
The full requirements to obtain a UK VTS Operator Certification Logbook can be found in MGN 434 Amendment 1, or subsequent publication.
Professionals from outside the UK
- Recognition for professionals outside the UK
- All - there are routes to recognition for professionals from all countries
- Summary of routes
-
Applicants outside of the UK with qualifications or experience may be able to apply for a UK VTS Operator training course using their previous experience. Candidates with either:
a. acceptable marine qualifications, or
b. partial marine qualifications
Depending on a candidate’s knowledge, experience and previous training which, if properly documented, may be recognised through the award of Accreditation of Prior Learning (APL) and/or Accreditation of Prior Experiential Learning (APEL). Where such evidence is documented and validated, training may be adjusted to reflect both the past formal training and experience of the candidate. Any APL and/or APEL are undertaken by accredited VTS training organisations and/or VTS authority's who will assess candidates on a case-by-case basisThe minimum acceptable marine qualifications for full APL leading to entry on a IALA Model Course V-103/1 (VTS Operator) is an STCW II/1 OOW Deck CoC , VTS Nautical Knowledge, or accepted equivalent.
All UK VTS personnel are required to meet the English Language requirement. The VTS Model Course V-103/1 is set on the assumption that VTS trainees have achieved an International English Language Testing Scheme (IELTS) Level 5 or equivalent prior to commencement of training. It should however be noted that candidates wishing to work in a UK VTS centre and thus requiring a UK VTS certification log, will be required to demonstrate that they meet IELTS level 7 when applying for their certification log.
The full requirements to obtain a UK VTS Operator Certification Logbook can be found in MGN 434 Amendment 1, or subsequent publication.
- More about recognition for professionals outside the UK
- https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/mgn-434-mf-amendment-1-vessel-traffic-services-vts-training-and-certification-of-vts-personnel
Legislation
- Title of relevant act or charter
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The Merchant Shipping Act 1995
- Website link to legislation
- https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1995/21
- Title of relevant act or charter
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The Merchant Shipping (Vessel Traffic Monitoring and Reporting Requirements)(Amendment) Regulations 2011
- Website link to legislation
- https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2011/2616