His Excellency Minister of Transportation and Telecommunications launches the new vessel traffic management system at Khalifa Bin Salman Port

His Excellency the Minister of Transportation and Telecommunications Engineer Kamal bin Ahmed Mohammed, inaugurated the new Vessel Traffic Management System (VTMS) during a visit to Khalifa Bin Salman Port’s Control Tower on Tuesday 16^th of February 2021. His Excellency was accompanied by the Assistant Undersecretary for Ports Affairs, along with a number of officials from the Ministry and the senior management team of APM Terminals Bahrain, the operator of Khalifa Bin Salman Port.

The launch of the new vessel traffic management system is in line with MTT’s commitment towards achieving Bahrain’s Economic Vision 2030 and enhancing and integrating e-services across the port’s operations in line with the latest technological services embraced by the global maritime and logistics industry.

In collaboration with the Ministry of Transportation and Telecommunications’ Ports and Maritime Affairs, APM Terminals Bahrain ensured the adoption of the latest global infrastructure solutions available on vessel traffic management systems hence serving as a technological leap in providing full-fledged e-services to all commercial vessels coming or leaving from Bahrain’s ports and subsequently increasing the speed and the effectiveness of services as well as  enhancing the maritime safety of navigation in the Kingdom.

His Excellency the Minister of Transportation and Telecommunications praised the successful completion of this vital and important project and extended his appreciation to the Ports and Maritime Affairs and APM Terminals Bahrain officials for their efforts.

Susan Hunter, the CEO/Managing Director of APM Terminals Bahrain said, “At Khalifa Bin Salman Port, we manage a complex logistical chain of processes such as vessel movement, cargo handling, and infrastructure operations. We also operate in a competitive marketplace. With this relying heavily on safe, reliable, and efficient vessel traffic management, we invest in modernizing our equipment to enhance our safety performance every year. The new Vessel Traffic Management System (VTMS) is a strategic technology upgrade for us that will empower us to be more efficient and more competitive as the volume of shipping and cargo that we handle grows”. She adds, “For this, we looked for a supplier with proven technology and most importantly, one that demonstrated an understanding of our present and future needs.”

“Also, we continue to uplift the skills of our Bahraini employees with training on using the latest equipment and provide the necessary training for the new VTMS that is managed by MTT, so they are well-equipped to comply with international standards.”