The Port of Manzanillo invests on cutting edge technology in order to consolidate itself as a High class Port
In the past few days the Port Authority (API) of Manzanillo renewed the systems and equipment of its Maritime Traffic Control Center (MTCC), such as servers, monitors and a totally new rearrangement of the internal systems network; besides a brand new software version which integrates the navigation equipment.
The approximate investment ranges 700 thousand US Dollars, including the services related to the preventive, corrective and evolutional maintenance of the MTCC for the next three years.
The Maritime Traffic Control Center of the Port of Manzanillo, started operations on May 2004, and it has been working ever since 24/7 365 days a year. It is operated for Captains and officers members of the National Merchant Marine with vast experience with navigation and maritime communication equipment.
The main objective of the MTCC is to maintain the safety in the Port reducing the risk of accidents related to navigation vessels and naval equipment, without leaving human life and ocean environment out of sight, besides controlling, coordinating and optimizing the maritime traffic using strategic planning of the ship maneuvers offering opportune nautical and meteorological assistance.
Currently the MTCC accounts for 2 radars installed, one of them located in the building of the Federal Port Captaincy and the second one in "El Vigía" mount ranging full coverage of the Port Precinct, the whole Manzanillo bay and some west and southwest zones.
With the acquisition, installation and set up of the remote radar station on the "Punta Campos" lighthouse the range limit have been increased to detection of the whole coast line and the navigation zone from southeast to southwest of the Manzanillo Port.
The remote station is linked via microwave signals to the MTCC passing through a repetitive station installed in "Punta Santiago", integrated into the Nepsys system of the MTCC.
The total investment of the complete installation of the remote station was estimated around 930 thousand US Dollars as part of the observance of the commitments and responsibilities established in the Law towards the Port Authority.
No doubt these investments will help raise the security measures and standards of the Port of Manzanillo making it safer and more efficient offering the clients the benefit of lowering the insurances costs generating scale economies. And at the same time safeguarding National security with the possibility of sharing crucial information and working in collaboration with different government entities in order to generate more accurate data for faster information fluency regarding maritime, Seaport and meteorological statistics.