GlossaryEN1 min readUpdated: Jun 25, 2026
Inland Waterway Vessel Traffic Services (VTS)
A skipper approaching a busy river stretch calls the local VTS centre, receives current water-level data, and learns of an ongoing lock closure ahead – that is Inland Waterway Vessel Traffic Services in daily practice.
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Source: https://www.imo.org/en/OurWork/Safety/Navigation/Pages/Vessel-Traffic-Services-(VTS).aspx
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Definition & Explanation
A skipper approaching a busy river stretch calls the local VTS centre, receives current water-level data, and learns of an ongoing lock closure ahead – that is Inland Waterway Vessel Traffic Services in daily practice. VTS centres are government-operated facilities that monitor and coordinate vessel movements on rivers and canals using radar and AIS (Automatic Identification System). They alert skippers to hazards such as construction works, shallow passages, or accidents, and are authorized to issue binding traffic instructions when collision risk arises. Vessels transiting these sectors must maintain radio contact and comply with all directives; Germany, France, and the Netherlands each operate multiple VTS stations along their principal waterways. Inland VTS shares its core logic with maritime port VTS but is adapted to the distinct conditions of river and canal navigation.
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