Vision of Particularly Sensitive Area 2020

Questions this practice may help answer

• What should the maritime safety situation in the Baltic Sea look like in 2020 (as of 2007)?
• What can be done to positively affect the situation?

Implementation context

The Baltic Sea, except for the part of the Russian waters, is recognised as a Particularly Sensitive Sea Area (PSSA) by the International Maritime Organization (IMO). These areas are special with regard to their ecologic and/or biodiversity features and require so-called Associated Protective Measures (APMs), e.g. traffic separation schemes, which have to be approved by the IMO. This practice draws a vision of a safer Baltic Sea in 2020 against the background of the Baltic Sea being a PSSA.

Aspects / Objectives

The Vision PSSA 2020 suggests further APMs to increase the safety in the Baltic Sea.

Main Outputs / Results

The following recommendations were given in this report:

• Raise the awareness about the PSSA framework
• Increase international cooperation on maritime safety in general and on PSSA in particular Convince Russia to join PSSA.
• Consult regional and local authorities in order to get an assessment of threats and vulnerability.
• Improve and extend common monitoring, navigational and vessels equipment solutions for the whole Baltic Sea area
• Raise training standards for seafarers and coastal communities
• Increase interregional cooperation; develop adequate solutions to
• the threats within the possibilities given from the PSSA framework. Forward proposals of new APM:s to the IMO within 3 years

Transferability

The recommendations on how to increase martitime safety through PSSAs and APMs can be transferred to other sea basins.

Responsible Entity

Region Blekinge

Phone: +46 455 30 50 00

Funding Source

The Baltic Master project was funded through the Baltic Sea Region Programme.