Abstract (ENG)

The port of Antwerp has a complex waterway structure that, in combination with a high number of sailing ships, is a complex puzzle. That is why we are investigating here which communication occurs here and whether this differs between a Vessel Trafic Servic (VTS) and a self-regulating sector. The possible time differences between the various information elements and the times at which communication takes place are also taken into account.
Audio files were listened to from two VTS sectors and one self-regulating sector in the port of Antwerp. This showed that the most interesting information elements are the announcement with 43% and the intention with 33%. These are one of the shorter elements, the first place for this is reserved for other/safety messages that have an average duration of 7.9 seconds. The communication in Weel is not structured differently than in a sector with a VTS, this follows the same pattern. The big difference is that Weel does not include feedback with a VTS-operator (VTSO) who confirms what they say and gives them factual traffic information. In a VTS sector there is twice as much talking than in Weel, which makes the influence of the VTSO most apparent. Most conversations and speaking times take place during working hours from 08:00 to 18:00. In the future, further research can look at whether there is also an influence on the situation when a VTSO provides a traffic image, the close calls of collisions have been reduced now that a traffic image is proactively provided that would otherwise not be provided in a self-regulating sector.

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