As part of the strategy chalked out in collaboration with the Indian Navy, Gujarat Maritime Board (GMB) is to introduce a Vessels’ Transportation Monitoring System (VTMS) to make the sea route impenetrable to terrorists or infiltrators.

According to GMB, in a recently held meeting with Maritime States’
Development Council in New Delhi, the maritime boards of several
coastal states, Coast Guards, state police departments, Customs and
shipping ministry officials were asked to work in tandem with the Navy.

After the implementation of VTMS, all ports in the state including the
Alang ship-breaking yard will have to maintain records of all incoming
and outgoing ships and intimate the Indian Navy of the same.

“As a part of VTMS, a committee with representatives of maritime
boards, Coast Guards, police, Customs and shipping officials will soon
be set up as a watchdog at ports. In Gujarat, GMB has proposed a Rs
80-crore VTMS project to be accomplished by 2010, which will keep a
hawk’s eye on movements of any ship in coastal Gujarat, especially near
the international maritime border with Pakistan,” said a GMB official.

“Apart from ensuring iron curtain security, this system will also be
useful in providing data on the development of ports in terms of inflow
of international ships,” the official explained.

Source: Sandesh

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