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Maritime Forum

Safer seas - regional level

How CISE helps search and rescue

8c_Scenario2.jpg

A shipping accident has occurred somewhere in northern waters, and a number of seamen have fallen into the sea, decreasing their ability to survive for an extended period.

Data sources

Within this scenario there are two data sources available for operators: the first, high-resolution navy radar and the second the distress call from the sinking ship, received by a coastal radio station.

Current Situation

As regards Search and Rescue (SAR), cooperation is already very robust. However, each authority works separately and communications are done manually, one after the other. This is very time and resource intensive.

It also means that authorities do not have a full picture of the situation, especially as regards available SAR assets from neighbouring countries.

Due to missing access to information regarding rescue asset availability, the coastguard may have set up its own radar network to manage search and rescue operations, duplicating efforts and. Any additional information is shared between neighbouring countries Maritime Rescue Coordination Centres (MRCC) by more faxes, emails and telephone calls, which means decision making is slow, surveillance costs increased, and response times delayed. Sometimes, it may turn out the coastguards get to know about an available SAR asset closer to the event, only after an operation has already been launched.

Maritime CISE response

CISE will allow for faster reactions to accidents at sea, by making use of the most appropriate and available assets in all search and rescue operations. This means that Maritime Rescue Coordination Centers (MRCC) located in Member States will have a comprehensive, precise and almost real-time overview of all rescue assets available in their wider area of responsibility: vessels, aircrafts, helicopters, divers, practitioners… both civil and military, from their own and surrounding countries.

To rescue a lifeboat as quickly as possible that is situated at a great distance from the coast of country A, the MRCC of country A will be able to visualise directly the assets of country B (or C), which may be closer to the lifeboat, or have more capacity to rescue it, rather than sending a rescue asset from their own country.

CISE will help save lives. Rescue times, and accuracy, will be improved, and their costs reduced.