EMSA provides maritime surveillance services to enhance the EU’s geospatial data pool. This is achieved by managing the sourcing and day-to-day operations of the Earth Observation information flow from satellites, through the provision of Automatic Identification System information detected by land (T-AIS) and satellites (SAT-AIS).

The main systems offered by the Agency are: CleanSeaNet, the European oil spill detection and monitoring service; and Copernicus Maritime Surveillance, which provides satellite imagery-based services to support a better understanding and improved monitoring of activities at sea.

In addition, Vessel Traffic Services (VTS) or Vessel Traffic Monitoring and Information Systems (VTMIS) enable the identification and monitoring of vessels and provide an overview of their movement in selected sea areas. This provides the authorities of coastal States with the ability to monitor and manage the traffic in their waters as well as to anticipate and prevent potential incidents and, as a last resort, to intervene, minimising the loss of life and property and damage to the marine environment.

BCSEA II: surveillance in focus

In the BCSEA II project capacity building in beneficiaries will continue through awareness and training sessions for VTS operators.