eOsphere are pleased to be working on a new project to improve maritime safety in the Baltic through enhanced situational awareness. The Baltic Sea is one of the busiest and most heavily trafficked areas in the world and with every year that passes it becomes even more busy. Oil tanker traffic has particularly increased significantly during recent years, and is expected to grow even more over the next years. With the growth in vessel traffic, in combination with the narrow straits and shallow water, archipelagos, the high incidence of fog and the coverage of ice for a long period, the risk of shipping accidents will increase. The Isabelia project will focus on new techniques for improved safety for ships operating in the Baltic, especially with regard to the northern Baltic waters which become frozen during the winter.

Isabelia will be led by VTT in Finland and is supported by ESA’s IAP programme. Other project partners are the Finnish Meteorological Institute, CGI (previously Logica Finland), Polar View Earth Observation and Kongsberg Satellite Services.