Under Policy Area Safe, R-Mode Baltic project was supported as a Flagship. R-mode Baltic addresses the maritime user needs for a backup system to Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) which is the primary mean for positioning and navigation of vessels at sea and in coastal areas and ports. The project will increase the reliability and robustness of navigation with the installation of a testbed and the R-mode standardisation.The project contributes to PA Safe's actions including Improve safety of navigation by means of e-Navigation and new technology, and enhancing the safety of transport of oil, hazardous and noxious substances.
"The consortium of R-Mode Baltic is very proud that our project was selected to become a EUSBSR Flagship. This confirms that our vision of safe navigation in the Baltic Sea addresses a key issue within the EU strategy for this region. We await from the flagship status a higher awareness of the project and the topic. This will help us to get in contact with the key stakeholders so that we can design and build the planed testbed of a maritime navigation backup system that it meets their needs."
Stefan Gewies, Project manager, German Aerospace Center (DLR), Lead partner of R-Mode Baltic
Another new Flagship is ECOPRODIGI, under Policy Area Ship. The ECOPRODIGI project aims at increasing eco-efficiency in the Baltic Sea region's maritime sector by creating and piloting digital solutions in close cooperation between industry end-users and research organisations. The project contributes to Save the Sea sub-objective of "Clean and safe shipping", and to PA Ship's action 2 "To support measures to reducing emissions from ships" and "To develop shore-side facilities to foster clean shipping measures".
"This high-level recognition for ECOPRODIGI assures that we are heading to the right direction, and that we are indeed part of the solution developing ecologically and economically sustainable processes for the digitalising maritime industry."
Milla Harju, Project Manager, Pan-European Institute at the University of Turku, Lead partner of ECOPRODIGI.
Under Policy Area Nutri, two projects were granted a Flagship status. DESIRE is a project aiming at increasing efficiency of peatlands management in the Neman catchment to reduce nutrient release to the Baltic Sea. The lead partner of DESIRE is Greifswald University in Germany. BigRivers4Baltic is a project with an objective of enabling a harmonised approach to nutrient loads assessment and reduction by Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, Belarus, Russia and Germany through the four biggest rivers flowing to the Baltic Sea. Its lead partner is Warsaw University of Technology in Poland. However, these projects are still waiting for the funding decision from the Interreg Baltic Sea Region Programme third call.
Photo by Peter Dam.