ICEYE’s SAR imagery in contract with European Maritime Safety Agency to support maritime operations (Image Credit: Sat News)
ICEYE, provider of consistent satellite monitoring of the planet and knowledgeable in natural catastrophe solutions, announced the start of a multi-year framework contract with the European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA) to support their efforts in managing various aspects of maritime operations with SAR data.
Among its many missions, the European Maritime Safety Agency, a European Union agency, provides technical expertise and operational assistance in reducing the risk of maritime accidents and assisting in response and recovery from marine pollution from ships and oil installations. The Agency supports the maritime surveillance activities of the national authorities of EU Member States linked with a wide range of coast guard functions. ICEYE will deliver SAR imagery to EMSA over these next years to enhance their operational support to a wide range of European organizations, in the scope of EMSA’s Earth Observation Services.
ICEYE owns the world’s largest SAR satellite constellation and the data from its spaceborne sensors can be combined with multiple auxiliary information sources from the ground. ICEYE expects that this agreement will improve the efficiency and speed of the incredible work EMSA is currently doing.
“Just like our satellites, maritime operations operate around the clock. Radar imaging technology can see the arth day and night and in all weather conditions”, said Pekka Laurila, ICEYE Co-Founder and Chief Strategy Officer. “Space based imagery is an ideal tool to quickly, efficiently and effectively support maritime disaster response and recovery operations, as well as to enforce EU maritime regulations and support local authorities.”
At any given time, 70% of the Earth is covered in clouds or darkness. Unlike traditional Earth observation satellites, ICEYE’s small radar imaging satellites can form high-resolution images of areas of the Earth in daylight, at night, and through cloud cover. In other words, they can “see” any part of the Earth multiple times a day. ICEYE’s satellites can collect images over wide areas and even more detailed images over smaller points of interest such as a ship or oil facility. This provides customers with persistent coverage of fast breaking events on the ground in all weather conditions. ICEYE appreciates EMSA and the pioneering role they have taken over the past several years working with private partners to establish NRT operations that support the real operational needs of their European national stakeholders.
