Background

The maritime applications of the SSN ecosystem (i.e. SafeSeaNet, EO Data Centre, Thetis, LRIT and IMS services) have been developed to address specific needs defined by the relevant legal texts and user requirements. Although each maritime application functions based on its own rules, set of data and access rights mechanisms in order to support its own user community, there are common elements (such as Organisations, Ships, Countries and Locations) used by all applications.

One of the common databases is the Central Location Database (CLD) used as a reference for locations by all maritime applications of the SSN ecosystem as well as national systems of the Member States (SSN and NSW).

Concept

The CLD includes all LOCODEs listed in UN/LOCODE list, SSN Specific locations as well as port facilities information stemming from the IMO Maritime Security module of the Global Integrated Shipping Information System (GISIS).

The CLD information is made available to external systems, which may use it for cross-checking purposes with similar data stored in their databases. To connect and benefit from the Central Location Database, EMSA designed a set of web services to allow sharing information via a “system to system” interface.

The services offered by the CLD are:

• Access through the EMSA web interface: the web interface is accessible through EMSA portal;
• Request/response mechanism: to request the content of location records in the CLD based on different criteria (e.g. country of the Location and name of the location). The request/response mechanism can be also used for retrieving a journal of changes in individual location records in the CLD over the time (Location record “logs”);
• Location data announcement ("push"): this service is used by the CLD to announce to an external system previously subscribed to the service the creation of a new Location record or the change on data stored in the CLD for a Location.

Figure 1: types of accesses offered by the CLD

CLD Management: Updates

The synchronisation of the CLD with the UN/LOCODE list and IMO Maritime Security module of GISIS is currently done manually by the EMSA CLD administrator.

The UN/LOCODE list is issued by UNECE twice a year. Whenever the list is published it is analysed by the CLD administrator and necessary updates are done in the CLD.

IMO Maritime Security module of GISIS is regularly updated by the Contracting Governments through the IMO GISIS webpage. CLD administrator verifies the IMO GISIS webpage on a monthly basis and updates (if necessary) the list of port of facilities in the CLD.

The CLD also allows the national LOCODE administrators to maintain up to date the list of locations and port facilities of their countries.