BALTICO MEETING 2016Tallinn 24 - 25 May 2016

Summary Report

1. Opening of the meetingMr Taivo Kivimäe, FMA Deputy Director General, wished us all welcome to Tallinn and the Baltico Meeting 2016. He reminded that the Baltico meeting is an example of good cooperation between the participating countries which has resulted in a good service to shipping. He wished us a fruitful meeting and finished by declaring the meeting opened.

Olavi Heinlo, deputy head of the EMA Cartographic Department, continued by showing a movie, based on Helcom AIS data, which visualized the dense sea traffic in the Baltic Sea. Olavi mentioned that the increasing traffic makes our work to continuous improve our services to shipping even more important.

2. Election of chairmanMalin Liljenborg from the Swedish Maritime Administration was elected for chairman. Agneta Hedström was elected secretary.

3. Meeting arrangementsOlavi Heinlo gave us some practical information for the two meetings days.

4. Adoption of the agendaThe proposed agenda, as posted on the Internet, was adopted with no additions.

5. Introduction of participantsThe participants introduced themselves.A list of participants is in Annex 2 and on the website www.sjofartsverket.se/balticomeeting

6. Review of actions from the Riga meeting 2014Svante Håkansson, Sweden, presented the list of actions items from the previous meeting and summarized what has been done.

Agenda item

Description Action by Finished by

6 Prepare a paper with suggestions for abbreviations to be included in the MSI Manual

Sweden 7 Jul 2014

8 Prepare a paper to BSICCWG with concerns about the suggested changes to water names.

Sweden 10 Jun 2014

19 Inform in NtM that light icing not generate a Nav. Warn. All Before winter 2014-15

24 a) Include information that vessels should contact Bothnia VTS before passage of Nordvalen

Sweden Before winter 2014-15

24 b) Check routines about ice class restrictions outside Finland and Sweden

Sweden Before winter 2014-15

26 a) Include links to web sites with MSI All As soon as possible

26 b) Make a recommendation on the use of DCS for MSI Sweden As soon as possible

27 Next meeting. Decide a date. Estonia, Sweden

As soon as possible

The items were commented as follows:

No 6. The suggested new abbreviations, which were discussed at Baltico Meeting 2014, were approved by IHO WWNWS Sub Committee meeting 6. After that, BALTICO forwarded the suggested abbreviations to WMO, who approved them all to be included in the document WMO Manual on Marine Meteorological Services, No 558.

No 8. Short before the BSHC 19-th conference Svante Håkansson, BALTICO, sent a letter to BSICCWG with a recommendation to postpone and reconsider the final approval of the suggested changes to names and limits of sea areas in the Baltic Sea region. The BSHC 19-th conference however discarded the suggestion from BALTICO why the amendments to names were approved by the conference. (http://www.iho.int/mtg_docs/rhc/BSHC/BSHC19/BSHC19_Final%20minutes.pdf)

No 19. In November 2014 Sweden issued NtM 9976 about the changed routines about light icing.

No 24. a) We will come back to this under agenda item 16 at this meeting.

No 24. b) This has not been done. It is however important to have routines as severe winters one day will come back. BALTICO will come back to this at another meeting.

No 26. a) It is recommended that each country have links to the other countries´ web pages with MSI. Svante said that he wishes that we in the future may have a common MSI-homepage for the entire region.

No 26. b) We will come back to this under agenda item 24 at this meeting.

No 27. We are here so that point is done!

See also: http://www.sjofartsverket.se/pages/105078/Actions%20from%20Baltico%20Meeting%202014.pdf

7. Presentation of national reports Each country presented their national reports with focus on the changes since previous meeting. All reports are available on the website www.sjofartsverket.se/balticomeeting.

Following brief notes were taken during the presentations:

FinlandDevelopment of new ice breaking management system (IBNEXT) in progress. A new NtM online publishing system is planned to be implemented in the autumn 2016.

RussiaNo representation at the meeting but the national report is available at the Baltico Meeting website.

EstoniaThe web application Nutimeri will be presented under agenda item 19. VTS are making the navigational warnings during weekends.

LatviaNavigational warnings are handled by the Coast Guard after office hours.

LithuaniaNo representation at the meeting, they apologize for not be able to participate in the meeting, but the national report is available at the Baltico Meeting website.

PolandThe homepage has been improved. A new national Maritime Safety System is being prepared in cooperation with the Polish Maritime Administration.

Germany:Nav Warn that are expected to be long lasting are included in NtM. 42 days after that time all ships are expected to have received the message and the warning could be cancelled.

DenmarkHave an app for MSI. MSI is managed by Danish Maritime Authority during office hours and by SOK, at the navy fleet during the remaining time. Broadcast of navigational warnings via VHF is managed by Lyngby Radio.

NorwayThe VTS centers make the local warnings. Norway have developed an app for pleasure crafts, so far it only contains weather information, talking about to include navigational warnings.

SwedenThe new system Sea Traffic, for managing MSI, has recently been taken in operation. A presentation will be held under agenda item 22 at this meeting. It was also mentioned that Navtex station “J” (Gislövshammar) is covering a very busy part of the Baltic Sea why approx.. 70% of all Navtex warnings in the Baltic is broadcast by “J”.

8 / 9. S-124 (MSI in ECDIS) / Presentation of the project EFFICIENSEA 2Mads Bentzen Billesø from the DMA held a presentation on above topics, see slides on http://www.sjofartsverket.se/pages/105078/8-9,S1214%20and%20EfficienSea.pdf.He claimed that NavWarn and NtM largely serve the same purpose, with the main differences being the speed and methods of promulgation. He informed about different projects and groups that are working on the development of methods to communicate and

present relevant navigational information to mariners. He stressed the importance that organizations and people with knowledge and interest guide it in the right direction.During summer 2017 practical tests in the EfficienSea 2 project will take place and Mads invited all to participate in the tests.

10. Current and coming major operations and changes at sea in the Baltic Henning Sauer, WSV Germany, made a presentation of the Fehmarn Belt tunnel project and the VTS Center Fehmarn Belt. The tunnel will connect Rödby with Puttgarden and will be the world´s longest tunnel for road and railway. Time for start of works still not decided. VTS will be operative from 6 months before the work will begin.

Svante Håkansson, BALTICO, informed that surveys have started for the planned Nord Stream 2 gas pipelines between Russia and Germany,.

Svante also informed about a project in Sweden to change the Chart Datum (reference level for depths on charts) on all Swedish nautical charts and ENC.

11. Method and procedure for sending MSI to BalticoThe meeting concluded that current routines work well.

Finland suggested that also meteorological warnings should be published on the BALTICO NAVTEX warning website. Svante Håkansson told that there is currently a link to SMHI but agreed that this could be improved. The meeting agreed that the Finnish idea is good and suggested that it should be done before next meeting.

12. Disturbance to NAVTEX broadcastJüri Grigorjev informed that he 2014 got an e-mail from Sweden Traffic about poor NAVTEX reception from Tallinn Radio during nighttime. Jüri made a presentation that showed that the cause of the problem is that Mondolfo Radio in Italy has the same time slot (U). He further told that the transmission equipment is in good shape and that aerial wires, conductors and isolators are cleaned regularly. Jüri asked Larry Bennet, the International NAVTEX Coordinating panel at UKHO, if there are any possibilities to get another slot time. Larry told that changing times is not easy. However he will once again check with Italy if they in facts are reducing power at nighttime.

Jüri asked for help from Sweden to monitor timeslot U from Gotland and Svante promised to support in this matter. Jüri also asked if it would be possible to get direct access to the Swedish monitoring station on Gotland and Svante will also check this.UK asked for information about recently happened disturbances which will ease the presentation of the problem for Italy.UK will inform Estonia what happens in the matter.

13. Names of water areas in the Baltic Sea (General area, Locality)The BSHC 19:th conference in June 2014 agreed on some changes to names of sea areas shown on nautical charts. Also some changes to limits between areas were decided.Sea area ChangeSea of Bothnia Name changed to Bothnia SeaSea of Aland Name changed to Åland SeaNorthern Baltic The limit with Gulf of Finland moved east.

Central Baltic Name changed to Middle Baltic (it is unclear if the change also means that the limit with Southern and South-eastern Baltic move northwards).

Western Baltic The limit with Great and Little Belt moved south.Kattegat The limit with Great and Little Belt moved south

Svante asked if any Hydrographic Office already have changed the names on their charts. Estonia told that they have started and they have also invited the working group from WMO in the autumn in this matter.Svante suggested that we should keep the names and limits that currently are used in MSI. A discussion followed and many participants believe that the seafarers will be confused if there are one name on the chart and another in the navigational warnings and meteorological information.The meeting decided to go further to make the changes described in the table above. The changes will affect Nav Warn, Meteo Info, NtM, Nautical Publications, web sites etc, and actions must be done by many different actors in and outside the Baltic Sea area, why it has to be planned and performed carefully.The meeting agreed that we must first have approval from World Meteorological Organization (WMO) that they accept the changes. It was decided that SMHI and FMI jointly should address this issue with WMO.

14. Presentation of the IMO/IHO bodies that are dealing with MSIWilliam Van-Den-Bergh MBE held a presentation of the job in the different groups. He mentioned e.g. the Document Review Working Group which is responsible for keeping the different documents and publications updated, such as S-53 and the NAVTEX Manual. He told that there could be problems to get enough people engaged and to participate, which often is due to financial problem.Svante Håkansson mentioned that S-53 is a very useful document which we all must be familiar with. However, he told that BALTICO intentionally is not following all recommendations strictly, e.g. we start each NavWarn with issuing date and time and we do not include affected nautical charts.

15. Meteorological Warnings and ForecastsToday SMHI Sweden and FMI Finland both make analyzes of the ice situation. Both Finland and Sweden produce ice charts and ice reports for the same areas by means of the same tools. From 2018 only one, common, analyze will be made by SMHI and FMI in cooperation and one common ice chart and ice reports will be produced in cooperation.

16. Routines regarding MSI during winter conditionsSvante Håkansson told that information about the “winter reporting” in Sea of Åland has not been promulgated on NAVTEX during the winter 2015-16. The Swedish ice breaking management believes that information on NAVTEX is not needed because information about the reporting routines is available on nautical chart, in ENC and nautical publications. Finland informed that limit of the area for Bothnia VTS has been changed. This was noted by Sweden, who will amend charts and nautical publications accordingly.Estonia is issuing a Naw Warn when a new ice restriction is decided for a harbor. Svante told that new and amended restriction should be posted on the website Baltice.org and

normally not should be broadcast on NAVTEX as a Nav Warn. Sweden is however broadcasting the Estonian warnings for a short period but also forwarding the information to Baltice.org.Latvia told that the harbor masters issue warnings about new ice restrictions. Svante told that also this is forwarded to the website Baltice.org.The Swedish Icebreaking Management has asked the meeting to consider if it could be appropriate to include information in the charts about that TSS in the Quark normally is withdrawn during winter due to the ice. Discussion followed and it will be an action item from the meeting to look for a good solution.

17. Monitoring of Navtex broadcastsAll countries were reminded that they should monitor NAVTEX to see that the warnings that have been issued and sent to Sweden are well received in the national waters.Denmark told that they are monitoring and have control over the Navtex messagesGermany told that they have a homepage showing Navtex messages that have been received.

During the coffee break it was discussed whether it would be possible to apply for EU grants for the developing of a common automatic NAVTEX monitoring system for the Baltic Sea area. Sweden said that they could bring this question home to the office.

18. Relationship between NtM, ENC and MSISvante said that MSI, NtM and updates to ENC is three different means of conveying the same kind of important nautical information to shipping. He stressed the importance of good cooperation between the different national authorities that are dealing with these three issues. A Navigational Warning is definitely the fastest and most reliable method. However on line updates to ENC and NtM on Internet have made these methods more rapid. But we must remember that international shipping probably not so often is using the national websites with NtM.

19. Presentation of the Estonian web application NutimeriOlavi gave a presentation of the Estonian web application Nutimeri. The application is available on trial, see https://gis.vta.ee/nutimeri .

20. MSI on the InternetSvante informed that the Baltico homepage with navigational warnings (http://www.sjofartsverket.se/baltico) has links to respective countries homepages with navigational warnings. Any changes regarding the address to the homepage should be reported to Svante.

21. MSI in mobile phones, APPs etc.Norway told that they have wind information in an app and discussions are in progress to also include MSI-information.Sweden told that they have an app called ViVa with wind, current and sea level information.Denmark told that they have the app Seil Sikkert with Nav Warn, Wind information, Firing information etc.

22. Presentation of a new tool in use at MSI SwedenMichel, operator at Sweden Traffic, showed the tool called Sea Traffic.

23. The use of virtual AISIt was discussed how AIS is used to bring information to ships.It was found that Sweden and Finland have used virtual AIS to show the buoys in TSS in Norra Kvarken during the winter. However the ice breakers have told that this is not a good idea as the screen gets cluttered why this method is not used any more.Denmark has used virtual AIS to mark dangerous wrecks and withdrawn Racons in additional to a Navigational Warning. Denmark has also made trials to send messages to shipping via AIS but the result of this has not been evaluated.It was agreed that the use of virtual AIS in this respect should be seen as a supplement to navigational warnings.

24. Use of DSCSvante asked if DSC on VHF is used by the Baltic Sea countries to announce new MSI. He told that DSC in general not is used by Sweden as continuous watch is still mandatory on Ch 16 and that it is not obvious how the text in ITU Chapter 7 should be interpreted. Unnecessary use of DSC could disturb the navigation work on the bridge.Finland told that they use DSC for severe gale warnings. Their opinion is that DSC could be of help if it is used correct.It was decided that this item must be clarified before next meeting. Sweden will take the lead to find out a common recommendation for the Baltic Sea.

25. Any other businessNo one had anything more to add.

26. Next MeetingSvante said that next on turn to host the Baltico Meeting is Russia. He further told that Russia still not has attended any Baltico Meeting. However he has asked our colleagues in Russia whether they can arrange the next meeting. He has got a preliminary response saying that Russia probably can host the Baltico Meeting in 2018. The meeting decided that a definite response from Russia must be received before the end of December 2016.If no answer has been received from Russia in December 31 Finland is willing to arrange the Baltico Meeting 2018.

27. Review of action ItemsThe Action List was reviewed, see annex 1

28. Closure of the meeting.

Annex 1

List of actions from Baltico Meeting 2016Agenda

itemDescription Action by Finished by Notes

9 Consider to participate in tests within EffienSea2 (coming S-124 standard)

All interested Middle of 2017? For more info contact Mads Berentzen Billesö mcb@dma.dk

11 Include weather warnings on the Baltico-web page SMA Next meeting

12 Monitor Tallinn Navtex reception by means of the Navtex monitoring station in Hoburg, Gotland.

SMA As soon as possible

12 Investigate if Estonia can have direct access to the Navtex monitoring station in Hoburg, Gotland.

SMA/(Estonia) As soon as possible

12 Examine the possibility of establishing an automatic system for monitoring the reception quality of Navtex

SMA As soon as possible

Question came up at a coffee break

12 Invesigate problem with Mondolfo Navtex Co Panel As soon as possible

13 Ask WMO to adopt the new names and borders in the Baltic Sea area

SMHI/FMI As soon as possible

13 Investigate how and when each country can adopt the new names and borders and apply it to MSI

All Before next meeting

16 Consider changes to the chart information about reporting during wintertime in the Sea of Aland.

SMA/FTA As soon as possible

16 Should a note be included in nautical charts with information about that the TSS in Northern Quark could be withdrawn during winter.

SMA/FTA As soon as possible

17 See if it is possible to apply for EU grants for the developing of a common automatic NAVTEX monitoring system for the Baltic Sea region.

SMA

20 Add information to the contact list regarding Denmark SMA As soon as possible

24 Investigate in how DSC is used for MSI messages All Before next meeting

26 Next meeting, place and time SMA Before 31 December 2016

Annex 2