The Vessel Traffic Management System at the Batangas Baseport: Basis of Enhancing Vessel Traffic Services at the Batangas Bay

Abstract

This study assessed the status of implementation of the Vessel Traffic Management System at the Batangas Baseport. Specifically, it determined the previous and current state of marine traffic in Batangas Bay, identified the marine hazards that have become evident at the Batangas Bay Area and determined the vessels ‘compliance with the rules or provisions of the VTMS and the subsequent imposition of penalty fees for non-compliance. The study utilized the descriptive method of research. Personal interviews were conducted with the management and concerned offices. The gathered data were analyzed using frequency, rank, sum, mean, percentage and ratio. Results showed that there was heavy marine traffic during the period under study. Most marine accidents involved collisions and grounding while spill incidents were mainly oil or oil products of small manufacturing companies, cargo ships or tankers were relatively small in quantity compared to world record of oil spills. There was an effective implementation of the Vessel Traffic Management System at the Baseport evidenced by the vessels’ compliance with the provisions of the VTMS that has resulted to avoidance of accidents. The reasons of non-compliance are generally minor in nature which requires minimal penalty fees. Keywords - Vessel, Base port, Traffic, maritime