Baltic Sea States Confer on Maritime Safety, Security

A workshop in Helsinki, Finland, attended by representatives from Baltic states, with focus on the future challenges for maritime safety in the Baltic Sea Region

More and larger vessels will pass the Baltic Sea in the years to come, and therefore it is important to address the challenges for maritime safety which will follow in the wake of the increased vessel traffic. At a workshop in Helsinki, co-organised by the Danish Maritime Authority, the Baltic Sea States was for the first time jointly to develop scenarios for the maritime safety and security of the region. 



The joint challenges of the Baltic Sea States call for joint solutions. At the workshop, the Danish participants in cooperation with delegates from other countries tabled a number of issues relating to maritime safety. Improved surveillance or information exchange among the countries, which often requires joint decisions.

Another example is the ongoing development of new and safer technology on board ships, which in due time will require new infrastructure on land across national borders. At the same time, the countries are not in favour of increased public budgets. If the countries should be able to afford that, improved cooperation and perhaps a certain degree of burden sharing among the countries of the region should be discussed.

The Danish Maritime Authority organised the workshop in cooperation with the Ministry of Transport and Communications of Finland. Representatives of maritime authorities and organisations in the Baltic Sea Region were invited to attend. The workshop will issue a report containing scenarios and recommendations, which is expected to be published in the autumn of 2012.