Port of Callao

How a new advanced Vessel Traffic Management System is making the Port of Callao safer and more efficient

A Vessel Traffic Management System (VTMS) is a critical part of the infrastructure for any busy port because it helps ensure smooth operations while safeguarding people, vessels and the local environment. The Port of Callao, Peru’s primary maritime gateway, was facing a wide range of challenges – and a new VTMS built around Wärtsilä’s Navi-Harbour solution significantly improved the situation.

The critical challenges – from piracy to port closures

The Port of Callao is one of South America's most complex maritime environments, integrating multiple specialised facilities within a concentrated area. It is also an essential gateway for Peru’s foreign trade and one of the most important ports along the west coast of South America, handling over 70% of the country’s imports and exports. The port area is home to a strategic naval base, container and liquid cargo terminals and an active fishing terminal among other facilities. This diversity creates intricate traffic patterns that need sophisticated management and coordination.

The Peruvian government has invested heavily in modern, advanced systems to address the key challenges it was facing, which included:

• Piracy and armed robbery problems, with the port identified as one of the most dangerous globally according to IMB-ICC statistics
• Challenges with infrastructure layouts causing limited visibility in the inner harbour, negatively impacting navigational safety
• Overwhelming volumes of vessel traffic leading to long waiting times and serious safety incidents
• Frequent port closures and operational delays caused by recurring dense fog
• The need to comply with international obligations under the SOLAS 79 convention 

The Marina de Guerra del Perú (Peruvian Navy) needed to find a solution to all these challenges. After a thorough vendor selection process and five competing offerings, they chose a solution built around Wärtsilä Navi-Harbour.

The outcome – a safer and more efficient port thanks to a state-of-the-art VTMS

With Wärtsilä Navi-Harbour in place, Callao is now a much safer and more efficient port, with armed robbery and piracy practically eliminated. According to a report by the ICC International Maritime Bureau, there were 12 recorded incidents of piracy and armed robbery in 2022 and 14 incidents in 2023; in 2024, after the solution had been implemented, there were zero recorded incidents. The solution is the most modern and advanced VTMS in South America and has successfully addressed all the challenges the port was facing. 

Navigational safety in and around the port area has been vastly improved through enhanced situational awareness. Furthermore, the port can continue to operate even during dense fog and poor weather conditions as vessels can be effectively tracked and guided in and out of port.

Vessel waiting times have been reduced and traffic management is much more efficient. One contributing factor to this increase in efficiency is the integration of Wärtsilä’s Port Management Information System (PMIS) components to digitalise the vessel-handling processes. This digitalisation enables more efficient coordination between all maritime stakeholders, streamlines vessel movements and provides greater transparency of port operations.

“The system represents a transformative step forward in our ability to ensure safe and efficient maritime operations,” says Commander Jorge Ali Ortiz Melly, Head of Operations Department at Callao Harbour Master. “The new platform provides our operators with unprecedented situational awareness and control capabilities.”

The solution – an advanced VTMS

The advanced VTMS implemented at the Port of Callao demonstrates Wärtsilä’s capability to provide a turnkey solution that integrates a wide range of sensors and control interfaces. The system’s multi-sensor integration combines radar data with automatic identification system (AIS) information and sophisticated day/night cameras with thermal imaging capabilities. This integration through the Wärtsilä Navi-Harbour platform enhances situational awareness for maritime authorities while reducing workflow complexity for personnel.

Here’s how the Wärtsilä solution transformed port operations at Callao:

• Easier and more accurate monitoring and surveillance – three-point radar coverage and sophisticated day/night and thermal imaging camera technology vastly improve situational awareness. Maritime authority staff can now monitor and track vessel movements in real time, and piracy and armed robbery have been practically eliminated.
• Accurate vessel tracking and positioning for improved traffic management and safer piloting – advanced automatic identification system (AIS) base stations with the support of the latest VHF data exchange standard (VDES) and differential global positioning system (DGPS) corrections help to give staff a comprehensive situational overview with exact positioning for all vessels in the coverage area, while real-time kinematic (RTK) coverage improves positioning accuracy for pilots in and around the port area.
• Robust collision and incident prevention – with hugely improved situational awareness, the risk of collisions, groundings and other maritime incidents is greatly reduced. The system can issue warnings and alerts to vessels in cases of hazards or rule violations.
• Clear communication and coordination – the system, which includes a state-of-the-art VHF/HF network, provides a central communication hub for all maritime stakeholders, facilitating seamless exchange of important information such as weather conditions, port schedules and navigational alerts.
• Proactive response to incidents and accidents – in case of incidents like oil spills, vessel fires or search and rescue operations, port personnel can now closely coordinate critical response activities using the VTMS as a central communication hub.
• Fast and precise data logging, reporting and analysis – maritime authority staff can now record critical data about vessel movements and communications, supporting investigation into any problems or incidents, improving compliance and facilitating better planning of port efficiency improvements.
• Comprehensive training and development – Maritime authority staff were given comprehensive product and technical training including on-site training to provide them with a full understanding of the technical capabilities and operational procedures of modern vessel traffic management. This training provided a robust foundation for continuous improvement in operational excellence, and included training on the Wärtsilä Navigation simulator NTPRO 5000.

Find out how Wärtsilä can help improve your port operations