Monalisa 2.0 Aims to Enhance Safety, Environment

The starting shot is about to go for the Swedish Maritime Administration’s EU-project, Monalisa 2.0. Innovations and Sea Traffic Management will lead to greater efficiency, higher safety and reduced environmental impact.

Vessel traffic is increasingly intensive, leading to a growing risk of accidents. With a superior decision-making base for shipping and a new concept for Sea Traffic Management, the Swedish Maritime Administration – in cooperation with some 30 partners throughout Europe – aims to raise maritime safety.  

“The need to manage and support shipping is decisive in guaranteeing safety for navigation and the environment,” said Ann-Catrine Zetterdahl, Director-General of the Swedish Maritime Administration.

International organizations and companies have shown considerable interest in the Monalisa 2.0 project, which was granted more than €12 million in financing from the EU’s TEN-T program. Monalisa 2.0 encompasses 38 partners in the form of authorities, representatives from the private business sector and academia in Sweden, Finland, Denmark, Germany, United Kingdom, Spain, Italy, Malta, Greece and Norway.

“Accessibility, safety and environmental awareness are key factors for all transport modes. It is gratifying to see that Sweden continues to be a leading innovative player, not least in shipping, currently in the form of Monalisa 2.0,” says Catharina Elmsäter-Svärd, the Swedish Minister for Infrastructure.

The objective for Monalisa 2.0 is to lay the basis for a completely new traffic management system for shipping, with the focus on higher efficiency, reduced environmental impact and greater safety. Concrete applications and services for maritime traffic management will be demonstrated. The project also includes development and tests aimed at more efficient maritime Search and Rescue (SAR) and passenger evacuation. In addition, risk and vulnerability analyses, coordinated planning and mass evacuation from passenger vessels will be conducted.

A key feature of Monalisa 2.0 is to capitalize on the relevant results from previously completed research and innovation projects and to reuse good examples from other societal areas and consider whether these can contribute to developing the maritime sector.

“Monalisa and its successor, Monalisa 2.0, provide a concrete contribution to the need for superior maritime traffic management, coordination, support and reduced environmental impact,” says Ann-Catrine Zetterdahl.

The project has a total budget of more than EUR 24 million and will continue through 2015.