Today, 1 October, Fintraffic’s Vessel Traffic Services is celebrating the 30th anniversary of its vessel traffic service (VTS). What do 30 years of vessel traffic service look like from the perspective of those who are working there, and how did it all begin? In the following, Henrik Uski, Shift Manager at Fintraffic’s Gulf of Finland VTS Centre, and Petteri Keuramo, Shift Manager at the Western Finland VTS Centre, share their views.

Finland is one of the first countries in the world to introduce solutions based on the new international S-100 family of standards in maritime transport. The aim of the solutions is to make digital maritime information more uniform and easier to use in different systems. The distribution service developed by Fintraffic will enable the transmission of navigational warnings in digital format directly to ships’ navigation systems.

Today, 24 September, is the IMO’s World Maritime Day. Its two-year theme for 2026–2027 is From Policy to Practice: Powering Maritime Excellence. This theme encourages us to put internationally agreed objectives and rules into practice – through national legislation, work of the public authorities, and everyday actions. Good regulation is a foundation, but safety can only be built upon it when the objectives become practical solutions and the continuous development of operations.

The Erasmus+ DigiMar project, concluding at the end of September, has brought together maritime higher education institutions and VTS organisations from six European countries. The project has developed open-access learning materials based on authentic communication situations, as well as research-based recommendations for improving routine maritime communication.

The EU co-funded NELSON project has reached its first anniversary. As expected, the first year has focused largely on planning and preparations to establish a solid foundation for the work ahead. At the same time, several activities have now moved into the implementation phase, marking an important transition from planning to delivery.

After three years of piloting digital maritime services in the Baltic Sea region, the MaDaMe project is hosting its final seminar, "Shaping the Future of e-Navigation".

Passengers move about in an unhurried manner along the corridors of a ship – some are heading to eat, while others are admiring the view of the winter landscape behind the large panoramic windows. Passengers include those travelling to Pärnu for a spa holiday with their own car and professional drivers for whom this voyage is part of their route to Muuga Harbour.

Remote pilotage continues to attract growing international interest. Within the EU-co-funded NELSON project, Finnpilot Pilotage is leading the development of future remote pilotage concepts together with pilots, researchers, technology providers and other stakeholders. The aim is to better understand the operational, technical and human factors that will shape future implementation.

Are you looking to improve maritime communication skills and situational awareness? Are you an educator eager to enhance digital learning in maritime training? Or, are you a student interested in cutting-edge digital tools for lifelong learning? If you answered yes to any of the questions or the topics are of your interest, please join the webinar to hear future challenges and innovations in maritime communication, maritime training and lifelong learning!

Many people will head out onto the water to celebrate Finnish Midsummer and the warm weather. One person in the boat is responsible for ensuring a safe boat trip – the master of the vessel. Before setting out on the water, it is a good idea to review the master's most important responsibilities and ensure that the “Warnings for boaters” notices have been taken into account and that you are familiar with the rules on giving way.

The Sustainable Flow project, which concluded at the end of May, has developed new digital tools and operating models to help ports reduce carbon dioxide emissions, improve energy efficiency, and increase the use of renewable energy. In this EU co-funded project, seven partners and seven ports worked together to develop solutions that support the transition of maritime logistics towards a more sustainable future.

Remote pilotage is one of the core focus areas of the NELSON project. By exploring how pilotage services can be supported or partially delivered remotely using advanced digital tools, situational awareness systems, and secure communication links, NELSON aims to improve flexibility in maritime operations and to support adoption of remote pilotage.

The NELSON project is not driven by technological development alone. While the project work is coordinated and delivered by 10 consortium partners, the achievement of its objectives relies on close collaboration with a broad range of external stakeholders. Their involvement ensures that the project outcomes are realistic, relevant, and aligned with real-world maritime operations.

How can digital tools support greener and more efficient port operations? These questions will be explored at an event in Pori on 31 March 2026. Sustainable Flow project will present key results from its work on digital solutions for sustainable port operations.

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.