CleanSeaNet is a European satellite-based oil spill and vessel detection service which offers assistance to participating States for the following activities:

    1) Identifying and tracing oil pollution on the sea surface;
    2) Monitoring accidental pollution during emergencies;
    3) Contributing to the identification of polluters.

The CleanSeaNet service is based on the regular ordering of Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) satellite images, providing night and day worldwide coverage of maritime areas independent of fog and cloud cover. Data from these satellites is processed into images and analysed for oil spill, vessel detection and meteorological variables. The information retrieved includes among others: spill location, spill area and length, confidence level of the detection and supporting information on the potential source of the spill (i.e. detection of vessels and oil and gas installations). Optical satellite images can also be acquired upon request, depending on the situation and user’s needs.

Stakeholder Forum: CleanSeaNet User Group

CleanSeaNet imagery and vessel detection products are shared under the EMSA-FX SLA as part of the support to Eurosur Fusion Services.

The Copernicus Maritime Surveillance (CMS) Service provides Earth Observation products (satellite images and value adding products) to support a better understanding and improved monitoring of activities at sea, within a wide range of operational functions such as maritime safety and security, fisheries control, customs, law enforcement, marine environment pollution monitoring, and others. Implemented by EMSA, it is a Security Service of the EU’s Copernicus Programme.

Recognising that human activity at sea is intrinsically dynamic, the Copernicus Maritime Surveillance Service aims to provide timely, relevant, and targeted satellite-based information to member states and EU bodies. Data from earth observation satellites is combined with a wide range of other data, both from EMSA systems as well as from external sources. This includes vessel identification and position information, behaviour patterns, and intelligence from users. The fusion of data provides a more complete overview of activities at sea, enabling a more in-depth analysis than any one data source alone. By offering increased access to earth observation data, Copernicus reinforces and enhances existing EMSA services and opens the possibility of setting up new services too.

The CMS service provides support to interested Member State administrations and European bodies exercising functions in the maritime domain. The functions currently delivered by the CMS service include:
■ fisheries control,
■ maritime safety,
■ maritime security,
■ customs,
■ law enforcement,
■ marine pollution monitoring, and
■ international cooperation.

Stakeholder Forum: Copernicus Maritime Surveillance (CMS) User Group.

EFCA use CMS to acquire satellite imagery in relation to fisheries control activities.

The RPAS services have been developed for maritime surveillance operations, such as:
1) Maritime pollution detection and emissions monitoring;
2) Detection of illegal fishing, anti-drug trafficking and illegal immigration;
3) Support to marine pollution response operations
4) Support to search and rescue operations.

There is a broad portfolio of RPAS types available ranging from large size aircraft with “long endurance” that have a comprehensive set of sensor capabilities to small more agile quadcopters. For activities far from shore, satellite communication capability is available providing beyond radio line of sight (BRLOS) operations. All can operate during day and night.

Moreover some RPAS can support directly Search and Rescue Operations by deploying a life raft.

VTOL RPAS are used to measure ship borne emissions, participate in pollution response operations and are available to assist in Search and Rescue operations.

It should be highlighted that the RPAS (platform and sensor payload) is multi-purpose in nature and can be used for a range of parallel surveillance activities.

Stakeholder Forum: RPAS User Group

EMSA carries out such operations on behalf of Member States but also at the request of and in cooperation with EFCA for fisheries monitoring and Frontex for border control.

A service level agreement (SLA) defines the service conditions. EMSA provides services, information products and tools tailored to Frontex needs, which are then integrated into the Eurosur service. Users can also have access through a web-based graphical user interface (SEG) There are 5 (sub)services as follows:
    1) Vessel monitoring and tracking: provides Frontex with the most recent ship positions.
    2) Vessel detection: provides Frontex with information layers of detected objects at sea, derived from SAR satellite data.
    3) Anomaly detection: activates alerts based on specific vessel behaviour patterns (ABMs).
    4) Activity detection: provides information about detected activity in coastal areas and the interpretation of high-resolution optical imagery.
    5) Vessel reporting: supports Frontex in identifying vessels that give rise to suspicion to be involved in illegal migration or cross-border crime.

In addition the resource of the EMSA Central Maritime Reference Databases will be developed as a service and go live later in 2019.

Stakeholder Forum: EMSA and Frontex staff liaise directly regarding the management and implementation of the service.

EFCA contribute by sharing vessel identifiers, full sharing of VMS data (fisheries vessel position data), as well as satellite imagery requested by EFCA and acquired under the Copernicus Maritime Surveillance Service.

Integrated Maritime Services (IMS) provide an enhanced real-time maritime domain awareness picture. It utilises a vast array of vessel position information (more than 2 ½ years online at more 20 million messages per day) and satellite data. There are a range of tools that can be used to exploit the data. These include vessel tracks, area centric queries as well Automated Behaviour Monitoring (ABMs) algorithms. User access is through a web-based graphical user interface (SEG) as well as standardised system-to-system interfaces. The service is constantly evolving including more data, more exploitation tools as well as better performance.

Stakeholder Forum: Integrated Maritime Service (IMS) Group

Frontex contribute by sharing the vast majority of satellite imagery acquired under the EMSA-Frontex SLA.

EFCA contribute by sharing fishery vessel identifiers as well as limited VMS data (fisheries vessel position data).