Getting a complete picture of human activity at sea is a complex and demanding task.

Maritime administrations rely on data and information from many different sources, including vessel traffic monitoring and satellite imagery, to monitor their waters, ensure the safety of vessels, effectively deal with pollution incidents when they occur, tackle illegal activity, and provide life-saving tasks like search and rescue.

SAFEMED V: surveillance in focus

• The current situation of the beneficiary countries in terms of vessel traffic monitoring infrastructure varies greatly. Currently, Morocco, Tunisia and Jordan share Automatic Identification System (AIS) information through the MAREΣ regional AIS server, which is hosted by the Italian Coast Guard. All three countries first started sharing AIS information among themselves (phase 1) and were later enabled to share with selected EU Member States (phase 2). The SAFEMED V project will continue to work on strengthening the beneficiary countries’ AIS infrastructures, and to facilitate the sharing of AIS information, encouraging a wider integration of the Mediterranean countries using MAREΣ into the SafeSeaNet system in the near future.
• In the course of previous and current projects aimed at countries within the European Neighbourhood Policy, EMSA has already provided satellite imagery for pollution detection through the CleanSeaNet (CSN) services to countries that have accepted the CSN Conditions of Use. The objective of SAFEMED V is to continue this practice while strengthening the pollution detection capabilities in the region by broadening the circle of CSN beneficiaries as well as the possible identification of potential polluters by providing SAT-AIS information to all beneficiaries participating in the service.