The Olympic torch travels towards Paris and also crosses the Strait of Messina escorted by the Coast Guard

John

By John

The French sailing ship Belem, on which the Olympic torch bound for Marseille, has recently faced navigation in one of the busiest stretches of sea in the world, lo Strait of Messina, also accompanied by naval and aerial vehicles of the Coast Guard which supervise and monitor navigation in this delicate maritime hub. The convoy is constantly followed by the Messina Coast Guard, Maritime Authority of the Strait, from whose Vts (Vessel Traffic Service) control center there is a continuous exchange of communications useful for guaranteeing the safety of navigation of both the Olympic torch and any other vessel passes through the area. The VTS center of the Coast Guard uses modern technological tools and sophisticated sensors to monitor the numerous merchant and recreational traffic that takes place in the stretch of sea that separates Sicily from Calabria. With VTS, data relating to the presence and passage of all ships, such as speed, route and estimated travel times, are therefore managed in real time.