The “Data processing, planning and analysis of vessel traffic in the Bulgarian VTS zones” information system (VTS database) was developed for the “Ports Infrastructure” Company. The system is a key module of the national Vessel Traffic Management and Information System (VTMIS). The main role of the system is to provide information services to external users – state authorities (Border Police, Navy, Customs) and private transport companies.

The system consists of two main modules:

• The “VTS operator” module – interfaces and forms for entering and editing of vessel traffic related information
• The “External user” module – query forms, report and analysis generators

The main features of the system are:

• Maintenance of database with information on ships that have visited the ports of Varna and Bourgas
• Database with information on the maneuvers executed between the open sea, the berths and the anchorage areas
• Meteorological database
• “Events log” (operating hours of the ports, problems with the navigation equipment, accidents, etc.)
• Report generators (access via a corporate network and the Internet)

The system includes a geographically distributed database (local database servers in Varna and Bourgas) and a main database server, which replicates the information from the local servers in real time and supports the database backups.

The project was developed by use of open-source products (Linux OS and MySQL database). All user interfaces are web based and platform independent.