EU maritime information and exchange system

This European Union (EU) law sets up a vessel traffic monitoring and information exchange system. This seeks to enhance maritime safety, port and maritime security, environmental protection and pollution preparedness. It also permits the exchange and sharing of additional information facilitating efficient maritime traffic and transport.

ACT

Directive 2002/59/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 27 June 2002 establishing a Community vessel traffic monitoring and information system and repealing Council Directive 93/75/EEC.

SUMMARY

This European Union (EU) law sets up a vessel traffic monitoring and information exchange system. This seeks to enhance maritime safety, port and maritime security, environmental protection and pollution preparedness. It also permits the exchange and sharing of additional information facilitating efficient maritime traffic and transport.

WHAT DOES THE DIRECTIVE DO?

It sets up a system to monitor Europe’s waters and coasts - maritime surveillance and situational awareness (ship positions) - supporting EU countries in their operational tasks.

To improve situational awareness in the maritime domain and to provide tailor-made solutions to authorities, the law was amended by Commission Directive 2014/100/EU. This allows for the information gathered and exchanged using the EU’s maritime information and exchange system (SafeSeaNet (SSN)) to be integrated with data from the EU’s other monitoring and tracking systems, such as CleanSeaNet, and from external systems (e.g. satellite automatic identification systems (AISs)).

It lays down the responsibilities of EU countries, maritime authorities, shippers, shipping operators and masters of ships.

KEY POINTS

All ships of 300 gross tonnes and upwards are covered, whether or not they carry dangerous goods, except for:

Requirements on operators of ships bound for EU ports

They must notify certain information (ship identification, total number of persons on board, port of destination, estimated time of arrival, etc.) to the maritime national single window (since 1 June 2015).

Equipment and installations

Ships calling at a port of an EU country must be fitted with:

Dangerous or polluting goods onboard ships

Monitoring of hazardous ships and intervention in the event of incidents and accidents

Authorities must inform the EU countries concerned if they are notified of ships that have:

The master of a ship must immediately report:

Places of refuge

All EU/EEA countries have to draw up plans to accommodate ships in need of assistance in places of refuge. They must also meet regularly to exchange experience and take joint improvement measures.

Compliance

EU countries must check the operation of their information systems and introduce a system of financial penalties to act as a deterrent against failure to comply with the directive’s requirements.

Management

The system is developed and managed by the European Commission and the EU/EEA countries. The European Maritime Safety Agency is responsible for its technical operation.

BACKGROUND

This directive is an integral part of the EU’s maritime safety policy. Besides their role in maintaining safety, security and sustainability, the system and platform are central to creating a single European maritime area without barriers - the European Maritime Transport Space.

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Last updated: 23.04.2015