The Dutch and Flemish governments co-operate in the Scheldt area to organize smooth and safe shipping traffic to and from ports around the River Scheldt.
Safe shipping traffic protects the environment: people, environment and infrastructure. Smooth shipping traffic contributes to a fast and unrestricted passage to ports.
The agencies are responsible for the use of the fairway by shipping traffic and for management of traffic by means of instruments like:
- Joint Nautical Authority
- Vessel Traffic Services
- Pilots and supporting services
- Shipping Regulations
- Admission Policies
- Marking of the fairways
Nautical co-operation is legally embedded in the
Treaty
Treaty concerning the Joint Nautical Management (Middelburg 21st of December 2005)
The Treaty forms the pinnacle of nautical co-operation between the Netherlands and Flanders which started in 1839. It is not only the finish but as much the starting point of further reinforcement to the co-operation. With the challenge to further improvement on safety and smoothness levels, despite the increase in the shipping scale.
In the treaty formal agreements were made about:
- The objectives of the Joint Nautical Management
- Area of application
- Duties and assignments of the Permanent Committee
- Duties and assignments of the Joint
- Nautical Authority
Nautical chain approach
Read more...