By Christos Adamou
Turkey will activate a new vessel traffic monitoring system in the north on July 20, coinciding with the anniversary of its 1974 military invasion on the island.
Turkish Transport Minister Abdulkadir Uraloğlu announced that the system will provide 24-hour monitoring of maritime traffic in sea areas that Ankara considers to fall under the jurisdiction of the breakaway entity in the north.
“We will protect our interests in the Blue Homeland and continuously monitor the maritime area between Turkey and the waters around the TRNC,” Uraloğlu said, referring to Ankara’s maritime doctrine and using the designation for the north recognized only by Turkey.
According to Turkish authorities, the Vessel Traffic Services (VTS) network was developed by defence contractor HAVELSAN using radar systems supplied by ASELSAN.
The network includes a control centre in Famagusta and surveillance stations in the Karpasia peninsula, Livera and Agios Theodoros in northern Cyprus.
Turkish officials said the system will operate using radar, cameras, sensors and Automatic Identification System (AIS) technology to track vessel movements in real time.
Ankara said the network will be used to monitor shipping traffic, issue navigational warnings, oversee designated maritime areas, detect illegal activities and provide rapid alerts to authorities in the event of accidents or other incidents.
The launch comes amid longstanding disputes in the eastern Mediterranean over maritime jurisdiction, energy resources and competing claims between Turkey, Cyprus and other regional states.
Source: edotourkia.gr
