Agreement between ESA and EMSA for strengthening maritime safety
On 2 July 2010 the European Space Agency (ESA) and the European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA) signed an Agreement which further strengthens cooperation between the two agencies for the use of space-based systems and data in support of maritime activities. This agreement follows an earlier Agreement that already expired in March 2010.
The new Agreement aims to ensure that satellite data are available to enhance maritime safety and help combat pollution from shipping. The role of EMSA is to support the implementation of the European policy in the field of maritime safety and security, therefore one of its goals is to reduce the risk of marine pollution and illegal activities at sea by using satellite monitoring.
ESA takes accordingly into account EMSA’s requirements for satellite data, both for future operational satellite missions and instruments (such as GMES), as well as for data of current missions.
The availability of satellite data in near-real time, particularly from radars like the Advance Synthetic Aperture Radar on Envisat, and from the future GMES Sentinel-1, is an essential way of monitoring events that can affect seas’ environment and safety, such as oil spills.
More information at:
http://www.esa.int/esaEO/SEMKNJRZ5BG_index_0.html