Fact sheet www.eda.europa.eu
Maritime Surveillance (MARSUR) Overview Maritime situational awareness is the effective understanding of activities, associated with and occurring in the maritime domain, that could impact on the security, safety and environment of the European Union and its Member States. Following a tasking by the EU Defence Ministers in late 2005, EDA launched the Maritime Surveillance project (MARSUR) in September 2006, to create a network using existing naval and maritime information exchange systems. Overall goals are to avoid duplication of effort and the use of available technologies, data and information; to enhance cooperation in a simple, efficient and low-cost solution for civil-military cooperation; and to support safety and security. After extensive work by 15 Member States, the project has come to a decisive point, as it enters the end of the demonstration-phase for a basic MARSUR-network. The demonstration itself, in June 2011, used the connections between systems from Italy, Finland, France, Spain, Sweden and United Kingdom. In October 2012, three other Member states joined the project.
maritime domain. Member States recognise this as a strategic issue and as such wish to build on the synergies and successes achieved so far. The MARSUR network is open for other Member States to join. In October 2012, 12 Member States plus Norway signed a “Category B� programme to improve the functionalities, the level of confidentiality of the MARSUR-network, and to accommodate potential new requirements proposed by the Member States. It will further develop the technical elements necessary to use MARSUR in a fully operational context. Its Project Arrangement sets out the provisions for managing the MARSUR Development Project. Specifically, it outlines the tools necessary to implement a secure network for the exchange of classified information in the support of CSDP operations that the users can interface in such a way as to maximize cooperation whilst maintain the appropriate levels of security. The MARSUR network is built by the navies and is meant to enhance the exchange of data and information for the conduct of maritime CSDP-operations. In relation to the Integrated Maritime Policy (October 2007) of the Commission, the network can be connected to the Common Information Sharing Environment (CISE), as yet envisaged.
The MARSUR Networking Project has successfully highlighted the fundamental need to control information in the Landscape, architecture and capabilities
Geography and cooperation and scene of action
User communities Defence National Nodes (MEXS) serves as a national hub and gateway to the network. National systems are connected to the National Node via API interfaces. Services can be both distributed and central
Fact sheet www.eda.europa.eu
MARSUR in practice •
The 15 initial participating Member States are: Belgium, Cyprus, Germany, Spain, Finland, Greece, France, Ireland, Italy, Lithuania, The Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Sweden and UK. Bulgaria, Latvia and Norway joined this community in October 2012 by signing the Technical Arrangement “Live phase”.
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The MARSUR network has been designed in collaboration with EU agencies such as: EUMS, DG MARE, FRONTEX, EUSC, DG ENTR, JRC, DG HOME, etc.
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The system was developed by the military community with the aim of improving decision making for and during CSDP military operations. However the approach used by the MARSUR network is not specific for the military context, allowing the network to be leveraged to other user communities.
Project MARSUR is a reality which strengthens every year. Establishing a common data model and data semantics may be one of the requirements for the future, though presenting significant challenges this can be achieved by building on the firm foundations of the MARSUR network. The key enabler for data exchange is trust. If there is no trust among participants, no data will be exchanged, even if a good technical solution is available.
MARSUR at a glance • •
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It is a 17 Member States, plus Norway, network enabling the exchange of maritime surveillance information between participating States. It aims at improving the common Recognised Maritime Picture by linking up existing (military) maritime networks and systems, fostering the exchange of data, information and knowledge; the network allows primarily the exchange of operational maritime data (vessel tracks, ship position reports and identification data); however, in theory, it would be possible to exchange any type of data over the network. It was launched in 2006; the demonstration phase started at the end of 2010 in order to prove the value of this integrated network. The implementation is planned to start at the beginning of 2012 in order to have the network fully operational by 2014.
Further information: www.eda.europa.eu Last update: 09/10/2012