Digitalisation continues to reshape maritime operations, and the need for reliable, standardised and trusted information exchange is growing fast. One of the goals of the NELSON project is to enable interoperable maritime services that support safer navigation, more efficient traffic management and future-ready operations. S-100 services and Maritime Connectivity Platform (MCP) are key enablers in this context.
“S-100 data model and Maritime Connectivity Platform (MCP) address different parts of the same challenge. S-100 defines what maritime information is and how it is harmonised, while MCP enables who can access or publish services and where they can be found”, Juho Pitkänen, head of Digital Services at Fintraffic VTS, explains.
Together, they create a practical foundation for a scalable ecosystem of trusted maritime digital services.
“Therefore, a lot of time and money will be invested in the NELSON project to make this foundation a reality”, Pitkänen emphasises.
S-100 Standards Provide a Common Foundation for Maritime Information
The IHO S-100 framework provides a modern way to structure and deliver maritime data as harmonised services. It supports a shift from static information products towards dynamic, machine-readable services that can be updated and shared more effectively. One big benefit with S-100 is the interoperability aspect, where mariners will be able to utilise a quite complex stack of data, without getting their navigation systems cluttered with information.
“For maritime stakeholders, S-100 enables improved situational awareness and smoother integration between systems—supporting not only fully digitalized traditional navigational products, but also applications such as route optimisation, enhanced decision support, and traffic coordination”, Maiju Kaski, head of Maritime Services elaborates.
At NELSON, two standards will be developed and deployed: S-412 Marine Weather Warnings and S-421 Route Exchange. S-421 provides important route exchange between shore and ship in operational use. S-421-based route exchange service is using MCP and IEC standard SECOM to transfer important data between these two domains. S–412, again, will directly help improve decision-making in route planning and navigation, for example.
Maritime Connectivity Platform – Secure, Unified Access
As data sharing increases, cybersecurity and trust become critical. MCP provides a federated approach to identity and service management, helping ensure that maritime services can be accessed securely across organisational and national boundaries.
“In the big picture, MCP supports trusted service discovery and scalable integration, reducing the need for one-off connections between individual actors. In practice and from the Finnish perspective, NELSON will focus on having an operational MCP which enables all Finnish authorities to deploy and publish the maritime S-421 and S-412 services”, Kaski explains.
A concrete example of this harmonised and trusted information exchange can be seen in mandatory ship reporting. The Mandatory Reporting Systems Gulf of Finland (GOFREP) and the Sound between Sweden and Denmark (SOUNDREP) will integrate EMSA’s Integrated Ship Report (IRD) into their respective reporting workflows.
“By using IRD as the primary source of electronic reporting, data can flow more seamlessly between ships and authorities, softening the administrative burden of both ships’ officers and vessel traffic service operators alike”, concludes Richard Sönnerberg, VTS operator at the Swedish Maritime Administration.
More information about the NELSON is available on the NELSON project’s website.
Disclaimer: This article is produced as part of the NELSON project, co-funded by the European Union. The views and opinions expressed herein are, however, those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the CINEA. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.
