Novia contributes to Digital Navigation Innovations in Baltic Sea Project
Novia University of Applied Sciences is one of 17 partners participating in the international research project Maritime Data Methods for Safe Shipping (MaDaMe), coordinated by Turku University of Applied Sciences and funded by Interreg Baltic Sea Region.
“We’re developing digital services to improve the safety and efficiency for vessels navigating in fairways,” says Ahmed Elhadi, Project Manager at Novia. The project focuses on developing and testing new e-navigation services based on the latest industry standards.
Novia’s Focus: Smarter Maritime Services
Novia’s work centers around three digital maritime services:
- S-124 Navigational Warnings,
- S-125 Aids to Navigation, and
- S-212 VTS (Vessel Traffic Service) Traffic Clearance.
Traditionally, critical navigation information like hazards or Aids to Navigation outages is delivered via radio or printed text messages (NAVTEX) – methods prone to miscommunication. MaDaMe aims to replace these traditional systems with smart, real-time symbols integrated directly into the ship’s electronic navigational chart software (S-100 ECS), developed by Novia. Hereby enabling ships to request departure clearances or receive navigational warnings directly in their onboard navigation systems, reducing radio traffic and potential human error.
Global Standards and Future Impact
The project contributes to the global efforts in developing S-100 ECDIS. This is motivated by the latest IMO regulations, which require new ECDIS installations to comply with the updated IMO ECDIS Performance Standards by 2029. That year marks the beginning of a new era in maritime navigation.
"Everything we do here feeds into international standardization efforts. The goal is not just to test and improve digital services locally, but to shape the future of maritime navigation in the Baltic Sea, and the world,” Elhadi adds.
Participating countries include Finland, Sweden, Denmark, and Poland. The MaDaMe project runs until October 2026.