Sea Traffic Management System Tested

The Adveto ECDIS route on the ship to the left appears in the Kongsberg Shore Centre application to the right. The difference in route leg appearance is due to different chart projections.

The E.U.-funded Sea Traffic Management (STM) Validation Project has undergone its first operational tests.

The STM project is a follow on from the E.U.-funded MONALISA 2.0 project which developed a system that enables vessel route information to be shared between ships and centers on shore.

The successful operational test started with the Adveto ECDIS system doing a look-up of the Kongsberg Norcontrol Shore Centre. The ship then shared the voyage plan, which was instantly available in the shore center for checking and monitoring.

The underlying STM system and maritime cloud infrastructure managed a secure and trusted transmission directly between authenticated actors.

The project has involved the development of the information technology platforms needed to boost voyage planning and traffic flow. Test beds in Northern Europe and Mediterranean Sea will eventually engage 300 vessels, 10 ports of different sizes and five shore centers. These will validate the STM concept and pave the way for smooth deployment of new collaborative services.

Using STM, other service providers will be able to offer advice to vessels, such as recommendations to avoid congestion in areas with high traffic, avoidance of environmentally sensitive areas and maritime safety information. The information exchange between vessel and ports is anticipated to improve planning and performance regarding arrivals, departures and turnaround times. Studies indicate more than a 60 percent reduction of human related accidents and €100 million ($112 million) in savings is possible.

Kent Sylvén, CEO of Adveto, says: “Connecting the ECDIS with real-time secure services from any STM-compatible service provider on shore can improve the decision-support for bridge officers. I have no doubt that STM also will reduce costs and improve economy for all involved parties. Furthermore I believe that STM also can reduce accident rates.”

Lene Vesterlund, VP of Marketing and Sales at Kongsberg Norcontrol, said: “For Kongsberg Norcontrol, STM is a chance to expand our business by delivering services that will increase the efficiency and safety of the maritime transport system worldwide. We can connect machine-to-machine, through standardized interfaces, with onboard systems from all manufacturers.”

The STM Validation Project encompasses 39 partners (private, public and academic) from 13 countries and with a total budget of 43 million Euros ($45 million). The project will run from 2015 to 2018.