Turkey has put into operation a new Eastern Mediterranean VTS (Vessel Traffic Services) system, which Ankara says will provide continuous monitoring of maritime traffic in the sea area between Turkey and the occupied north of Cyprus.
The announcement was made by Turkish Minister of Transport and Infrastructure Abdulkadir Uraloğlu in a post on social media.
According to the minister, the system, inaugurated the previous day, will continuously monitor vessel movements across the Eastern Mediterranean. A Vessel Traffic Services Centre established in occupied Famagusta will coordinate navigational safety in real time.
Radar network linked to operations centre
Uraloğlu said radar and sensor data from monitoring stations located in the occupied Rizokarpaso (Dipkarpaz), Livera and Agios Theodoros will be transmitted simultaneously to the operations centre.
He said the system will enable authorities to monitor ship movements from a single control point, improving coordination and situational awareness.
Linked to ‘Blue Homeland’ doctrine
The Turkish minister also said the system was developed using “domestic and national capabilities” and would contribute to safer and more efficient management of maritime traffic.
In his statement, Uraloğlu linked the project to Turkey’s “Blue Homeland” (Mavi Vatan) doctrine, claiming the new system would “strengthen our sovereignty in the Blue Homeland”, echoing Ankara’s longstanding rhetoric regarding its maritime claims in the Eastern Mediterranean.
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