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REEFVTS monitoring
Date issue released
Safety Issue Description

An ongoing technical fault in the REEFVTS monitoring and surveillance system caused an abnormally high number of erroneous alerts and alarms. Consequently, REEFVTS operators were experiencing sustained periods of elevated workload, including that of the operator at the time of the Trinity Bay’s grounding.

Issue number
MO-2021-001-SI-01
Issue Status
Closed – Adequately addressed
Issue Owner
Maritime Safety Queensland
Mode of Transport
Marine
Issue Status Justification

The implementation of the software update to reduce the incidence of false alarms in the REEFVTS surveillance and monitoring system and, the division of the REEFREP area into 2 separate areas with a separate vessel traffic service operator responsible for each, should serve to reduce their workload and adequately address this safety issue.

Proactive action
Action number
MO-2021-001-PSA-01
Organisation
Maritime Safety Queensland
Action Status
Closed
Action description

In response to the incident, Maritime Safety Queensland advised the ATSB of the following safety action:

  • The Reef VTS area penetration alert (Low Speed) was deactivated until a software patch was installed to remove the erroneous alerts. A risk assessment was carried out prior to the deactivation to ensure that this would not compromise the tracking of vessels.
  • On 4 February 2021, a rectification patch was received from MaritimeCONTROL’s vendor and testing commenced.
  • Additional education and training for Reef VTS operators was undertaken with particular emphasis on the importance of reporting any deviations from regular routes.
  • An education workshop for Port and Reef VTSOs was undertaken to discuss findings, lessons learnt and expected outcomes. Initial discussions were tabled at a VTS leadership team meeting in June/July 2021.
  • After successful testing the rectification patch was fully implemented on 12 August 2021.
  • As of January 2022, the REEFREP reporting area was divided in 2 - VTS North Area and VTS South Area. REEFVTS commenced operating 24 hours a day from Townsville and Gladstone VTS centres with a VTSO responsible for each REEFREP reporting area.