EMSA-led Multipurpose Maritime Operation launched

A Multipurpose Maritime Operation, led by EMSA in cooperation with the maritime authorities of Belgium and France and the European Fisheries Control Agency (EFCA), is underway in La Manche and the southern section of the North Sea.

The operation aims to support the maritime authorities of Belgium and France across a variety of coast guard functions and has been launched on their request. Until 13 September 2024, EMSA will provide enhanced support for maritime safety, search and rescue, maritime surveillance, environmental protection and maritime accident and disaster response, together with EFCA in the area of fisheries inspection and control.

Throughout the operation, EMSA’s Integrated Maritime Services will provide a live maritime picture of all vessels passing through what is one of the world’s busiest regions, supplemented by algorithms for detecting vessel movement patterns and facilitated by a dedicated operations centre in EMSA’s Lisbon headquarters.

Participating Member States will also be able to request satellite imagery from EMSA’s CleanSeaNet oil spill monitoring and pollution detection service, which provides night and day coverage of maritime areas through synthetic aperture radar (SAR) satellite images. This service can be complemented by optical satellite images from Copernicus Maritime Surveillance.

EMSA is also providing a regional deployment of its remotely piloted aircraft service (RPAS), capable of operating in the airspace of both participating countries, and operating from the Gris-Nez Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC) in the Pas-de-Calais Department of France. In addition, EMSA’s Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) service will also be deployed to support underwater surveys.

A Multipurpose Maritime Operation (MMO) is a coordinated activity in a specific maritime area and for a defined period of implementation, aimed at supporting national authorities carrying out coast guard functions at national, Union, and international levels. MMOs involve at least two coast guard functions falling under the mandate of multiple agencies and can be launched upon request from Member States or EFCA, EMSA, or Frontex. The involved Agencies may provide assets, services, or experts, which can be supplemented by the Member States.

The participating French authorities are: the Secretariat General of the Sea; La Manche and North Sea Maritime Préfecture; and the Directorate-General for Maritime Affairs, Fisheries and Aquaculture. The participating Belgian authorities are: the Agency for Maritime and Coastal Services; the Agency for Agriculture and Fisheries; the Scientific Service MUMM (Institute of Natural Sciences); and the Directorate-General for the Environment (Federal Public Service).