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VTS Centres
The Norwegian Coastal Administration operates five Vessel Traffic Service Centres that monitor and regulate vessel traffic along the Norwegian coast.
Fedje VTS
Fedje VTS is located on the island municipality of Fedje in North Hordaland and covers the area from Sognesjøen in the north to Hjeltefjorden in the south and to Bergen in the east. The VTS Centre was established in 1992 and its main duties are related to oil shipments from the Sture and Mongstad terminals, in addition to traffic control centre tasks in an area with high traffic density.
Kvitsøy VTS
Kvitsøy VTS was established in 2003 and is located in Kvitsøy Municipality in Rogaland. The VTS Centre covers the area from Bømla Fjord in the north to the Jæren Reef in the south. The centre's main duties include traffic monitoring in connection with shipments from the gas terminal at Kårstø, in addition to general monitoring of coastal traffic in an area with a relatively high traffic density.
Brevik VTS
Brevik VTS is located at Brevikstrømmen in Porsgrunn Municipality. It covers the approaches to the major industrial area in Grenland, where a large portion of the ship traffic consists of gas carriers and vessels with other hazardous cargo. The Brevik VTS Centre is the Norwegian Coastal Administration's oldest centre and was established in 1978 as a result of the petrochemical development at Rafnes.
Horten VTS
Horten VTS is located in the port of Horten. It was established in 1999, and its area of responsibility is to monitor and regulate shipping in the waters from Færder to Spro/Steilene at Nesodden. The waters in this area are the responsibility of the Oslo Port Traffic Control Centre.
Vardø VTS
Vardø VTS became operational on 1 January 2007. The VTS Centre, which has NOR VTS as it call name, covers traffic monitoring in the northern areas, from the Barents Sea to Lofoten by means of radar monitoring, ship reporting and AIS.
Vardø VTS also administers the state tugboat emergency preparedness scheme in Northern Norway. From 1 July 2008 the Vardø VTS Centre was made responsible for monitoring all tankers and other hazardous traffic along the entire coast and the sea area around Svalbard, with the exception of the areas of operation for the Norwegian Coastal Administration's other four VTS centres.
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