Marine Vessel Traffic System (SureTrak)

This invention is an improved radar harbor surveillance sensors, computer display system to monitor marine harbor traffic, provide advisories to vessels in areas elected by the system operators, and provide the operators of the system with an early warning of unacceptable traffic conflicts in the confined waterways of the harbor. Each system consists of a number of remote sites providing radar, camera video, and audio communicated to a central Vessel Traffic Center (VTC). VTC data integration and display provides the ability to identify, monitor, and advice of potentially dangerous vessel traffic conditions and fuse multi-radars on a single display. Although the primary purpose of SureTrak is to insure safe passage of vessels throughout waterways, the system also provides the ability to document traffic conditions and incidents. The object of this invention is to monitor vessel traffic and provide advisories to vessels in transit or anchorage in key waterways. To accomplish this task, the SureTrak system is capable of acquiring data from one in the initial fielded system to 18 remote sites in the form of radar track data, digitized radar image data, camera video, and audio. Data is processed and displayed in a form that provides for early recognition of potentially dangerous situations and communication of the impending condition of vessels of concern. This feature is intended to provide the capability to allow advised vessels to implement corrective actions in a timely manner. Each system functions 24 hours a day, seven days a week with a system availability of 99.9%. It is a further object of this invention to provide and aid waterway authorities in the conduct of other mission roles including search and rescue, law enforcement, pollution control, and marine safety. Through data collection, the SureTrak system facilitates waterway authorities command and control capabilities to detect events and coordinated responses.