STM BALT SAFE

The sensitive Baltic Sea region has one of the highest shipping intensities in the world. There are many tanker ships and crossing traffic of passenger ships and narrow passages. shipping accidents happen and may in the worst-case scenario have an extreme impact on the environment. Measures in the field of safety of navigation are needed to reduce accident risks. There is a need to improve the exchange of information between ships and between ships and shore for increased situational awareness and as a catalyst for improved safety of navigation, optimized capacity utilization and just-in-time operations.

Increased safety in the Baltic Sea

STM BALT SAFE (2019-2021) will contribute to increased safety of navigation in the Baltic Sea by providing Sea Traffic Management (STM) enabled maritime services to the tanker traffic in the Baltic. The project will address the recently amended HELCOM recommendations 34 E/2 “Further testing and development of the concept of exchange of voyage plans as well as other e-navigation solutions to enhance safety of navigation and protection of the marine environment in the Baltic Sea region”. Tanker ships will be made safer by making them STM compatible hence given the ability to send and receive voyage plans with other ships and with public authorities in Baltic Sea countries. By the STM BALT SAFE project, the institutional capacity of the public sector on supporting and developing safety of navigation services and efficiency of sustainable transport will be enhanced.

Enhanced monitoring and automated reporting

The project will build on the methods, results and the maritime service infrastructure developed in previous projects like EfficienSea II, MONALISA 2.0 and Sea Traffic Management Validation project and will encompass exchange of voyage plans and integration of STM functionalities in VTS shore centres. Services for enhanced monitoring of maritime traffic, different automatic reporting services to Ship Reporting Systems e.g. GOFREP and SOUNDREP as well as automated reporting to Maritime Single Windows, will be developed and tested in the project. Different services that optimize the ship´s voyage and decrease the administrative burden will also be developed and tested within the STM BALT SAFE.

New STM-clause enable just-in time for charter parties

The standard clauses for shipping are currently being developed to be efficient when using Sea Traffic Management to optimize the sea traffic. These new clauses for Charter Party contracts to enable just-in-time shipping will also be tested and validated in practice within the STM BALT SAFE.

A wide partnership around the Baltic Sea

The STM BALT SAFE project will be implemented by a Baltic Sea wide partnership of public administrations from Norway, Sweden, Finland and Estonia. The total budget amounts to appr. 4 million euro. Learn more about the STM Balt Safe project here