NATO, Baku discuss issues on developing maritime security

By AzerNews

A group of NATO`s navigation experts visited Azerbaijan with a view to hold consultations with the Azerbaijan State Maritime Administration.

During the meeting with Chief of Azerbaijan`s State Maritime Administration Gudrat Gurbanov, the sides mulled progress achieved in Azerbaijan in all fields, including the navigation one.

Gurbanov appraised the establishment of the Long Range Identification and Tracking Data Centre. The NATO experts were informed that the center`s functions include traffic service, Long Range Identification and Tracking of ships, Global Maritime Distress and Safety System, Automatic Identification System, Video Camera Control and Meteo Station.

The National Centre is engaged in the organization of the system of safety navigation, maintenance of the navigation regime of the ships in the territorial waters of Azerbaijan, monitoring the implementation of the relevant rules and arranging the Vessel Traffic Services (VTS) in the territorial waters of Azerbaijan.

The National Centre conducts such functions as observing position of ships in the territorial waters of Azerbaijan through radar and Satellite System, providing the safety of ships` navigation, transmitting the relevant data concerning the navigational warnings and weather forecast to ships, controlling abiding by the ships requirements of the "Regulation of navigation in the territorial waters of the Azerbaijan Republic", transferring SOS signals received from ships and other information to relevant authorities and organizations and in the case of necessity organize cooperation with them, as well as creating regular operative connection and information exchange with international organizations and the similar national centers and shipping companies of other countries.