Clean and Safe Maritime Activities

In the Clean and Safe Maritime Activities program BSAG has analyzed the different threats and risks of maritime activities to the Baltic Sea, listed by HELCOM in its Baltic Sea Action Plan. The aim is to tackle issues not dealt with efficiently yet, issues that are not taken care of by any identified party, and to promote solutions with long range effects.

We also concentrate on problems where the resources of the public sector have not been adequate enough and/or the international co-operation has not yet been successful.

BSAG combines resources and opportunities provided by the public, private and civil sectors. In the Clean and Safe Maritime Activities program we have extensive collaboration with maritime and oil combat and rescue authorities, NGOs, educational institutes and private companies.

Based on research by and consultation with leading authorities in the respective fields, BSAG is planning to launch activities in the fields of navigation safety, oil combat and response capacity and waste discharges.

Safety of navigation

Approximately 2000 vessels traffic the Baltic Sea at any given moment today. The traffic is expected to increase to around 3500 vessels by 2015. At present, 25% of the vessels are oil tankers or tankers carrying other chemicals. At the same time as the overall risks of sea transportation grow, manning onboard has been minimised and fatigue is common among mariners. Notably, fatigue is one of the most common causes of accidents.

Against this background it is of utmost importance to improve both the technical and the human aspects of ship operation.

BSAG has started a project that aims at the development of a novel and highly advanced vessel traffic management system, ultimately covering the entire Baltic Sea. This process is taken forward together with the Finnish Maritime Administration, other Baltic Sea region maritime authorities and a global provider of advanced IT solutions.

To address the educational aspects of sea transport safety, BSAG is involved in two projects aiming at improving advanced navigation and ships´ operation training tools, and basic training of seafarers. In this project BSAG assists the Finnish ships´ owners and leading technology providers of simulation and arctic ship operation to make ends meet.

Commitment examples made to Baltic Sea Action group about clean and safe maritime activities

Crystal Pool ltd: Test bed for AIS+ software

Baltic Sea Parliamentary Conference: Development of Maritime safety in the Baltic Sea

Copenhagen Malmö Port AB: Waste Reception facilities for cruise ships