Fully Automated Maritime Surveillance System Developed for EU Borders

Protecting Europe''s extensive coastlines is a challenging, risky and costly endeavour, relying heavily, as it does, on patrol boats and surveillance flights. The latest in electronic surveillance technology can help develop a reliable, continuous system for monitoring EU coasts.

Funded by the Seventh Framework Programme (FP7), the ''Autonomous maritime surveillance system'' (AMASS) project has designed a reliable, round-the-clock maritime monitoring solution. This includes a flotation platform, optronics, hydrophones, communications, power management and image exploitation, as well as command and control.

The system depends on a line of buoys – each equipped with the latest visual and acoustic sensors – located offshore to amass comprehensive data on movement and activities in Europe''s territorial waters. When AMASS detects a suspicious vessel, it relays images directly to a control centre on shore, enabling coastguards and other services to take swift and appropriate action.

Among the project's innovations is a thermal imaging camera. This uses very little energy, is lightweight, has long life expectancy, possesses a built-in image stabiliser and can withstand the harsh conditions at sea. The buoys are also equipped with state-of-the-art passive stabilisers.

Once adopted, the AMASS system will enable maritime border agencies to monitor their territorial waters for suspicious small vessels, such as those used by traffickers and smugglers, at a fraction of the current cost and risk. -- © 2013 European Union, CORDIS