HM Coastguard Managed Service for the Provision of Vessel Traffic Service Operators (VTSO)

The MCA works to prevent the loss of lives at the coast and at sea, to ensure that ships and people are safe, and to prevent pollution from ships. To support the delivery of the maritime safety mandate, HM Coastguard provides a VesselTraffic Service (VTS) for the Channel VTS and Sunk VTS areas, in the English Channel and in the approaches to the Ports of London, Harwich and Felixstowe respectively. The English Channel is widely recognised as one of the busiest shipping lanes in the world, with HM Coastguard VTS Operators (VTSOs) responsible for the provision of VTS in the northern part of the English Channel (for South West bound traffic heading from the North Sea towards the Atlantic Ocean) while French Coastguard colleagues are responsible for the provision of VTS in the southern part of the English Channel (for North-East bound traffic heading from the Atlantic Ocean towards the North Sea). The Sunk area covers the entry and exit point for ships proceeding to the Port of London (the busiest inland port in the UK), Felixstowe (the busiest container port in the UK) and Harwich (one of the busiest multi-modal ports in the UK).