“The stakes are high in regards to this task and service – we are quite literally ensuring safety at sea and saving human lives.”
Cybernetica won the tender of the State Infocommunication Foundation (RIKS), according to which the transceivers of the RIKS marine communication shore station will be replaced. A critical part of the infrastructure for the maritime communication system ensures the safety of navigation and is used for border surveillance, maritime rescue as well as swift communication between vessels and the mainland. Altogether, Cybernetica will be updating 154 devices, stretching across the entire sea border of Estonia.
The infrastructure is used by several key parties – the Transport Administration, Police and Border Guard Board, and RIKS – and the reliability and up-to-date status of the system is paramount in this field. Old equipment is reaching the end of its planned working life, and equipment replacement is necessary to guarantee system performance. The new devices have both new hardware and software. The system's unique architecture allows users from multiple government organisations to use one infrastructure without interfering with each other's operations.
According to Siim Valgeväli, Head of Radio Communications at RIKS, Estonia is a part of an international convention for safety at sea. This participation requires RIKS to coordinate the communications between the land and vessels. “The stakes are high in regards to this task and service – we are quite literally ensuring safety at sea and saving human lives. Even though the tender for this project was global, we are happy to partner up for this project with a local, motivated partner – Cybernetica. Our previous cooperation has proven to be effective and deliverables presented on time, with systems being well-rounded,” he added. The new updated extends the lifecycle of the system for another 10 years, during which the vessel crews can confidently rely on communication between the land.
Cybernetica’s Head of Surveillance Systems Martin Link explained that the implementation of a new solution ensures improved situational awareness and contributes to the work efficacy of both maritime rescue and other parties between the land and the sea. "Strengthening the infrastructure through the updated system has numerous advantages: it enables radio control 24/7, thus ensuring efficiency and reducing possible risks and errors, in addition to being an important tool for effective coordination of rescue operations," Link continued.
Cybernetica has been a long-term partner in creating secure surveillance systems for Estonia. In the past, RIKS has been supplied with a marine communication system under the responsibility of Estonian Maritime Rescue – a global maritime distress and safety system – which covers the entire coastline and territorial waters of Estonia. The system also enables maritime radio communication for several Estonian government agencies, including the Transport Administration, Police and Border Guard Board, and RIKS.
Additionally, Cybernetica has delivered an integrated surveillance system for sea and border areas, which is used by several Estonian authorities. Its main objective is to monitor the sea border, sea areas and border water bodies, conduct surveillance over the border and ensure the safety of vessel traffic. The system enables the detection and identification of objects in monitored areas.
Cybernetica has also delivered an automatic ship identification system covering Estonian sea areas to the Transport Administration, which ensures the operation of vessel traffic services and ship reporting systems. The information obtained through the system is also shared with other Estonian government organisations and European authorities. The Transport Administration has also been supplied with a database that enables the operation of the ship reporting system, ensuring data exchange with other parties in the system.