What is VTMS and Why It Matters for Offshore Wind Projects

Written By Toby Strickett

The Role of VTMS in Offshore Wind Farm Operations

In the increasingly complex and high-traffic environment of offshore wind energy, real-time situational awareness isn’t just beneficial — it’s essential. From overlapping construction schedules to simultaneous operations (SIMOPS) involving multiple vessels and contractors, maintaining order, safety, and efficiency requires a system that can monitor, track, and manage dynamic marine activity.

That’s where VTMS — Vessel Traffic Management Systems — come in. Much like air traffic control for offshore environments, VTMS provides a central platform through which marine coordination teams can maintain complete visibility and control over site activity.

How VTMS Enhances Offshore Wind Site Management

At Nautic Energy, we deploy advanced VTMS platforms such as SeaPlanner to deliver a live, data-rich overview of all vessel activity, personnel transfers, and safety protocols across the wind farm footprint. The system enables us to not only track vessels and personnel, but also to anticipate and deconflict operations, reducing downtime and preventing incidents before they occur.

Key functional areas include:

🔹 Live Vessel Tracking & Geofencing

All vessels working on the project are registered by MMSI and tracked in real time. This includes:

  • Monitoring speed, heading, and position

  • Assigning permissions or alerts based on proximity to critical infrastructure

  • Automatic geofence alarms if a vessel breaches a designated safety zone (e.g., around jack-up barges or cable lay areas)

🔹 Safety Zone Enforcement

VTMS platforms automatically enforce exclusion and buffer zones:

  • Alarms are triggered if unauthorized vessels enter active construction zones (typically 500m safety radius)

  • Marine Coordinators are instantly alerted to intervene, contact masters, or escalate to client representatives

🔹 SIMOPS Management

With multiple operations happening concurrently — such as turbine installation, cable laying, and crew transfers — the VTMS allows us to:

  • Visualize all activity layers and vessel types in a unified interface

  • Schedule and pre-approve activities to avoid overlap

  • Coordinate with contractors to mitigate operational conflict and risk

🔹 Personnel Tracking & Movement Control

All offshore workers are registered within the VTMS, including:

  • Certification verification (e.g., GWO compliance)

  • Site induction tracking

  • Live visibility of who is on what vessel, en-route, or on a turbine

  • Enables controlled transfers and automated headcounts in case of emergency

Benefits to Developers and Contractors

By integrating VTMS as a core part of project delivery, Nautic Energy ensures:

  • Reduced downtime due to better vessel utilization and scheduling

  • Improved safety compliance across all marine operations

  • Streamlined communication between marine coordination, vessels, and site teams

  • Full audit trails for vessel activity and personnel movements — critical for client reporting and regulatory inspections

Why Choose Nautic Energy?

With over 20 years of offshore wind experience and a growing presence in Taiwan and the wider APAC region, Nautic Energy brings hands-on expertise with major VTMS platforms and international marine standards. We don’t just operate the system — we strategically integrate it into your site management plan, delivering smarter coordination, safer projects, and more confident offshore execution.

Looking for a partner with proven VTMS capability and regional experience?
Contact Nautic Energy to discuss your offshore coordination needs.

Toby Strickett