A screenshot taken during the simulation – © EfficienSea2

Through sharing of data between vessels, new tools developed to enable more digital communication can make Search and Rescue operations both faster and better.

When navigating a ship through the less busy routes of the world, for example in Arctic waters, the ability to share data could take on increased significance in coming years. By using a new service developed with funding from the Nordic Council of Ministers and supported by the EU EfficienSea2 project, seafarers will be able to automatically exchange and coordinate vessel positions and search patterns while conducting SAR operations. The free service, available for all ships sailing through Arctic waters, only requires a functional internet connection and a log-in to the map-based platform ArcticWeb. It has just been successfully tested at simulations in Gothenburg by Chalmers University of Technology and the Swedish Maritime Administration.