Boost to New Sea Traffic Management Technologies

Boost to New Sea Traffic Management Technologies

sea traffic management

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New technologies have been enhancing sea traffic management in Europe. Sea Traffic Management (STM) connects and updates ships and ports in real time and facilitates efficient information exchange.

The system has been developed in three consecutive E.U.-projects running 2010-2018.

A new STM project, EfficientFlow, has recently received E.U. funding.

Through data exchange among selected parties such as ships, service providers and shipping companies, STM enables maritime information sharing offering future digital infrastructure for shipping. According to stmvalidation.eu, the services allow personnel onboard and onshore to make decisions based on real-time information. These services include route optimisation, ship to ship route exchange, enhanced monitoring, port call synchronization, winter navigation, etc.

The new EfficientFlow project will contribute to more efficient traffic flow in two ports in Sweden and Finland, as well as in the ScanMed corridor between Stockholm and Turku by the implementation of STM and its integration into the full logistic chain.

According to maritime-executive.com, the results are expected to be less manual information exchange and practical application of new ICT tools leading to increased situational awareness among the actors in the ports and at sea in the corridors; connected ports and more flexible route planning; improved port-hinterland information exchange; faster and more optimized port operations; saved fuel, less waiting times, and more.

The project will run 2018-2020 with a budget of EUR 4.5 million ($5.3 million). Project partners are the Swedish Maritime Administration, Satakunta University of Applied Sciences, Port of Rauma, Port of Gävle and the Finnish Transport Agency.