The ESA program called EO - Science for Society sponsors projects to support the implementation of Earth Observations (EO) in a variety of industry sectors, by providing a roadmap to a best practice. Industry sectors so far covered by the ESA program include oil and gas (EO4OG), agro-insurance (EO4I), the mining of raw materials (EO4RM) and the currently ongoing Earth Observation for Arctic and Baltic shipping (EO4BAS).
During the execution of EO4BAS, maritime advisors, EO specialists and platform designers/developers from DNV, CGI and e-Geos will work closely with stakeholders in the shipping sector operating in the Baltic and Artic region to make EO user-friendly. EO4BAS aims to:
- Map the needs in the shipping sector operating in the Baltic and Artic, for which the current and near future satellite technology and Earth observation products can provide a fit to purpose information.
- Define a roadmap to best practice usage of EO information products.
- Demonstrate accessibility and usability of fit to purpose EO information products through a DEMO platform.
As of the end of April EO4BAS is nearing the completion of work package 1 (WP1), by identifying and consolidating the industry’s challenges, geoinformation requirements and needs. This was accomplished through stakeholder interviews, literature review and a workshop (held on the 22nd of March 2023, at the DNV headquarters in Høvik, Norway in a hybrid form).
With the approaching completion of WP 1, EO4BAS will soon enter work package 2 (WP2), which aims to identify mature EO-based information products responding to the identified challenges, needs and requirements of the industry. WP 2 will be led by DNV Barbara V. Scarnato, team lead and Principal Consultant/EO specialist.
Further, WP3 will include a service mock-up, with development led by CGI and WP4 will include the development of a high-level best practice roadmap for the shipping industry sector, led by DNV.
Keep an eye out on the EARSC best practice site where a project page for EO4BAS soon will be established, hosting the project's findings, updates, and news!