Safe Shipping with KOSAS and SEISMESS

Safe shipping counts as one of the central aims of maritime policies. To implement this, European maritime policies and international bodies prescribe monitoring systems such as the Automatic Identification System (AIS). However, the current network of land based AIS stations is only suitable for reception in coastal regions. Current plans for research in the integration of satellite systems (Earth observation, communication and navigation systems) will demonstrate global services for increased safety in shipping. The EU plans incentive schemes to realise the goal of environmentally friendly maritime transport. However, the implementation of rules and regulations requires reliable monitoring which can be achieved by satellite based systems.

The goal of the project KOSAS - Coordination of satellite based AIS-Data and on board measurements - is to design a data infrastructure that allows the combined reception and processing and of shipborne in-situ measurements and AIS data. The information will be transferred by new-generation ORBCOMM satellites, that are equipped with AIS sensors for world-wide AIS reception. This satellite-based technology will complement the actual terrestrial stations along the coastlines, that are restricted by a receiving distance of ~20 sm, to global coverage.

SEISMESS - In-Situ measurement, storaging and transmission of ship emissions – is a first application of the KOSAS infrastructure. Emissions caused by combustion of fossile energy sources have a great effect on global climate change and the environmental pollution. Without a reliable monitoring legal controls can not be effective because violations are not detected, scrutinised and penalised. Differently than in the traffic sector ashore, where apparent excesses of limit values can be identified and attached to causers, this is not possible offshore. SEISMESS will demonstrate the technical basis for a world-wide monitoring of ship emissions.

Both projects are common undertakings of OHB-System AG and Gauss (Gesellschaft für Angewandten Umweltschutz und Sicherheit im Seeverkehr mbH) and are partly funded by the Bremer Innovationsgesellschaft (BIG).