The provisions on Vessel Traffic Services (VTS) are laid down in the Vessel Traffic Services Act and the Government Decree on Vessel Traffice Service. The purpose of VTS is to monitor and manage vessel traffic.

The VTS organiser is the Finnish Transport Infrastructure Agency. The services are provided by Fintraffic’s Vessel Traffic Services on the order made by FTIA. The competent authority is the Finnish Transport and Communications Agency Traficom, responsible for the administrative decisions about the Vessel Traffic Services.

Vessel Traffic Services comprise the provision of information, traffic organisation and navigational assistance.

All vessels of 24 metres in length overall are obliged to participate in the vessel traffic services. When navigating in the VTS area, vessels are required to maintain a continuous listening watch on the working channel used in the area.  Furthermore, vessels are obliged to obey the rules relevant to the traffic in the VTS area. Vessels navigating in the VTS area, which are not obliged to participate in the vessel traffic services, are recommended to maintain a listening watch on the working channel in the VTS area in question.

The current VTS area-specific instructions can be found in the Master’s Guide maintained by Fintraffic's Vessel Traffic Services and are available on their website

The Vessel Traffic Services also include monitoring of international waters, including monitoring of the mandatory ship reporting system for the Gulf of Finland, GOFREP and monitoring of the traffic in the South Åland Sea TSS.

Read more:

• Vessel Traffic Services (Fintraffic)
• VTS area-specific instructions, Master’s Guide (Fintraffic)
• Monitoring international waters (Fintraffic)