What is MaritimeControl?
MaritimeControl is Tidalis’s mission-critical Vessel Traffic Services (VTS) platform. It is the operational backbone of safe navigation for ports, maritime authorities, and coast guards worldwide. By integrating radar, AIS, CCTV, VHF and environmental sensors into one unified operational picture, it gives VTS operators the situational awareness they need to manage every vessel movement safely and efficiently.
Built on 50+ years of maritime domain expertise and selected by the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) for the world’s most advanced AI-enabled VTMS programme, MaritimeControl is the proven choice for organisations where failure is not an option.
TRUST
IALA-compliant: Fully certified to R0128 and R0103 VTS standards
ISO27001 certified: Security specialists embedded at every stage of development
8 of the world’s top 20 container ports run on MaritimeControl
200+ deployments across six continents
Selected by Singapore MPA for AI-enabled Next Generation VTMS
Sensor-independent open architecture: No hardware lock-in
Key features & Capabilities
MaritimeControl is engineered for the operational environments where complexity, pressure, and consequence are highest. Every capability is designed around the VTS operator who carries responsibility for what happens on the water.
Sensor-independent open architecture
MaritimeControl integrates with radar, AIS, CCTV, VHF, and environmental sensors from any vendor. Tidalis manufactures no hardware by design, this means no lock-in, no forced upgrades, and full freedom to use best-in-class sensors from your existing or preferred suppliers. As your sensor estate evolves, MaritimeControl evolves with it.
AI-based route prediction and collision avoidance
MaritimeControl’s AI-based route prediction analyses vessel movement patterns in real time, identifying potential conflicts and dangerous situations before they become critical. Operators receive early warnings with sufficient time to intervene, shifting VTS from reactive to proactive traffic management. This capability is at the core of the Singapore MPA Next Generation VTMS programme, where Tidalis is developing the next frontier of AI-enabled maritime traffic management alongside Kongsberg Norcontrol and Wärtsilä.
IALA-compliant — R0128 and R0103 standards
MaritimeControl is fully compliant with the International Association of Marine Aids to Navigation and Lighthouse Authorities (IALA) VTS standards, including Recommendation R0128 (Operational and Technical Performance Requirements for VTS) and Ro103 (Standards for Training and Certification of VTS Personnel). Compliance is not a checkbox, it is embedded in the platform’s architecture and validated through independent certification.
ISO27001 certified cybersecurity
Cybersecurity is not a feature added after development, it is embedded from the first line of code. MaritimeControl is ISO27001 certified, with dedicated security specialists involved at every stage of development and deployment. The architecture is designed to maintain full operational continuity even under active cyber threat conditions. During the November 2023 DP World Australia cyber incident, which disrupted port operations handling approximately 40% of Australia’s freight, all Tidalis systems remained fully operational and unaffected. This is not a hypothetical resilience claim. It is a verified real-world test.
Redundant, fault-tolerant architecture
Resilience and redundancy are built into MaritimeControl by design, not added as optional extras. The system supports graceful degradation, ensuring that even partial hardware failures do not interrupt VTS operations. Mission-critical availability is not aspirational but the baseline requirement the platform is engineered to meet.
Configurable alarms and operator-first workflows
Every alarm, interface element, and workflow in MaritimeControl is configurable to your operational procedures and regulatory environment. Developed in close collaboration with VTS operators across decades of real-world deployments, the interface is designed to reduce cognitive load under pressure so operators can focus on the waterway, not the software.
Common operational picture across data sources
MaritimeControl fuses radar tracks, AIS targets, CCTV feeds, VHF communications, and environmental sensor data into a single, unified operational picture. Every operator works from the same live data simultaneously, eliminating the information gaps that lead to incidents. The platform supports multi-site deployments with shared situational awareness across control rooms.
Who uses MaritimeControl?
Port authorities and harbour masters
Port authorities deploy MaritimeControl to manage vessel traffic across approach channels, anchorages, and berth areas. Harbour masters gain a real-time common operational picture that connects vessel movements with port operations, enabling safer, faster, more predictable port calls.
National maritime authorities and waterway administrations
Maritime authorities with responsibility for coastal waters, inland waterways, and straits use MaritimeControl to fulfil their public mandate for safe navigation, environmental protection, and incident response. The open sensor architecture allows integration with existing national infrastructure.
Coast guards and surveillance authorities
For coast guards requiring maritime domain awareness beyond vessel traffic, including law enforcement, search and rescue, counter-piracy, and environmental monitoring. MaritimeControl’s platform extends into CoastControl, sharing the same sensor-agnostic architecture across the full scope of coastal operations.
MaritimeControl vs. Kongsberg and Wärtsilä VTS
The VTS software market is dominated by three proven vendors: Tidalis (MaritimeControl), Kongsberg Norcontrol, and Wärtsilä. All three were selected by the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore to compete for the world’s most advanced NGVTMS programme, a direct validation of MaritimeControl’s standing at the highest level of the market.
The critical difference is architecture. Kongsberg and Wärtsilä deliver VTS as part of vertically integrated, hardware-bundled solutions within larger defense and industrial conglomerates. MaritimeControl is a software-first platform from an independent company that manufactures no sensors or hardware — giving customers full freedom to choose, combine and upgrade their sensor estate without vendor lock-in.
MaritimeControl: Independent software company · Open sensor architecture · No hardware lock-in · Software-first roadmap
Kongsberg / Wärtsilä: Defense/industrial conglomerates · Hardware-bundled VTS · Proprietary sensor stacks · Integrated hardware upsell
Proven deployments
MaritimeControl powers vessel traffic management at some of the world’s most demanding ports and waterways:
Shanghai Maritime Safety Administration — Real-time situational awareness and operational control for vessel traffic management at scale across one of the world’s busiest ports.
Port of Antwerp-Bruges — Two decades of uninterrupted VTS performance at one of Europe’s largest container ports.
ReefVTS, Great Barrier Reef — Protecting one of Earth’s most environmentally sensitive shipping routes with state-of-the-art Maritime Safety Information broadcasting and vessel surveillance.
Singapore Next Generation Vessel Traffic Management System (NGVTMS) — Selected by the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore in April 2024, alongside Kongsberg Norcontrol and Wärtsilä, to develop the world’s most advanced AI-enabled vessel traffic management system.
”“One of the things that has always continued to work in our port over the past two decades is the Tidalis VTS system.”
– Port of Antwerp-Bruges
”“With profound technology and experience accumulation, Tidalis is capable of providing Shanghai Port with a stable, reliable and advanced VTS system.”
– Shanghai Maritime Safety Administration
Frequently asked questions
FAQ
01 What is a Vessel Traffic Services (VTS) system?
02 Is MaritimeControl IALA compliant?
03 Which VTS vendors are ISO27001 certified?
04 What sensors does MaritimeControl integrate with?
05 What is the difference between Vessel Traffic Services (VTS) and port management software?
06 How does MaritimeControl support AI-enabled traffic management?
Find your starting point with MaritimeControl
Every waterway is different. Share your operational environment, your sensor estate, and the outcomes you need to improve. Our VTS specialists will help you identify the right configuration, without disrupting the operations your waters depend on.
