Challenges and benefits of Space Technologies application in the Integrated Maritime Surveillance: The EUCISE2020 project

Since 2010, the European Union launched the Integrated Maritime Policy (IMP) to promote a sustainable growth, the Blue Growth Strategy, in the marine and maritime sectors. A pillar of the IMP is the common environment of Integrated Maritime Surveillance, to improve the exchange of information among the national authorities of the operational sectors involved (transport, environmental protection, fisheries control, border control, application of the general law, customs and defense). CISE (Common Information Sharing Environment) is therefore a fundamental pillar of the European Integrated Maritime Policy and an element of the Action Plan of the European Maritime Security Strategy. CISE represents the collaborative environment on a voluntary basis among the Member States of the European Union, to achieve "a more interoperable surveillance system to bring together existing monitoring and tracking systems used for maritime safety and security, protection of the marine environment, fisheries control, control of external borders and other law enforcement activities". CISE implements a decentralized European environment of informative cooperation among all user communities, both civilian and military, at cross-sectoral and cross-border level, including EU agencies, developing an interoperable and information-sharing network powered by information flows coming from National and European information systems in force. This paper aims to investigate and describe the advantages and the capabilities that can be reached with an integrated use of currently in-orbit Earth Observation Systems, with traditional existing systems for the specific application of Maritime Surveillance. Copyright © 2019 by the International Astronautical Federation (IAF). All rights reserved.