Wintershall Noordzee Deploys Wärtsilä Software to Boost Offshore Safety

Dutch offshore oil and gas operator Wintershall Nordzee has recently seen Wärtsilä's Navi-Harbour WebVTS 5.0 software application for its platform in the Dutch North Sea.

The software features an early warning system to avoid allisions between the offshore platforms and vessels in their vicinity. 

It works by providing remote access to Automatic Identification System (AIS) or Vessel traffic Service (VTS) data sources to maintain constant and full situational awareness, using a standard internet browser. 

"The WebVTS decision support tools effectively mitigate potential marine hazards and risks. The application also supports navigational maps, traffic management tools, ship history, and works in various languages," Wärtsilä says.

Manué Gerrits, Central Control Room Supervisor with Wintershall Noordzee said: "Wintershall Noordzee’s North Sea offshore facilities operate in challenging sea and weather conditions. A high number of ships, such as ferries, fishing vessels, offshore suppliers, and guard vessels, are operating in the southern part of the North Sea and transiting to the major North European ports. 

"We, therefore, require the highest levels of safety for both the installations and the crews manning them. For this reason, we selected Wärtsilä’s Navi-Harbour WebVTS 5.0 software solution, the very latest available solution of its type, to enable analysis of alerts based on AIS information. This provides us with a sophisticated and reliable means of maintaining situational awareness," says

“The system makes it possible for vessels in the vicinity of the platforms to be visible, not only locally but also in Wintershall Noordzee’s Central Control Room (CCR) located in Den Helder. In addition, the historical record generated by the system can be used later for playback and analysis, helping to drive continuous improvement of future operational efficiency,” says Charles Wyng, North Europe Sales, Wärtsilä Voyage.