Cooperation and Collaboration between EMSA and FRONTEX

Introduction

European Union agencies create synergies that give relevant and more complete information to specific users by combining experience, talents, and resources. Within the confines of the existing decrees, the primary goal of any cooperative arrangements is to improve the quality of services offered to member states, the commission, and other interested or obliged organizations. The collaboration saves money by avoiding duplication of efforts and infrastructure overlaps, resulting in economies of scale. The EU agency, European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA) has been pursuing possibilities for sharing information, assets, and expertise through collaboration with other EU agencies in maritime traffic monitoring field to enhance the quality of services offered and at the same time hedge down expenditures at EU level. The approach aligned with Commission’s Integrated Maritime Policy. Cooperation and collaboration of efforts between other EU agencies and EMSA has taken forms of pilot projects that are developed gradually, and some translate to sustainable applications in maritime traffic monitoring. However, careful management and use of user access rights and data security becomes paramount during these activities. This essay majorly looks at cooperation between EMSA and FRONTEX in monitoring and controlling maritime activities.

Discussion

European Maritime Safety Agency and FRONTEX

In the European Union, many agencies play specific roles. FRONTEX is a body that organizes joint operations to counter cross-border crimes and irregular immigration along the European borders. FRONTEX seeks supportive collaboration with EMSA in order to increase their reliability and probability of early detection and discovery of boats and ships being used illegally. EMSA provides for real time maritime awareness operational pictures, fuses and correlates VMS, satellite and terrestrial AIS, LRIT position reporting and other visual sightings. Thus, the collaboration between EMSA and FRONTEX helps counter immigration crisis.

FRONTEX

FRONTEX as an agency coordinates, develops and supports European border management activities that must fall in line with the Treaties from the member states together with the Charter of Fundamental rights of the European Union members. In order for the member states to achieve uniform, high and efficient border control activities in line with the relevant European Union Acquis such as the Schengen Boarders Code, FRONTEX seeks support from other agencies such as the EMSA, that provides for the necessary artificial detection interfaces. FRONTEX is an agency that is trusted by the EU member states and thus strengthens the region in terms of Security, Freedom and Justice. The agency assists member states through the provision of support and operational solidarity to fulfill their responsibilities and especially to those facing disproportionate pressure at their exterior borders. FRONTEX establishes capabilities and capacities within its member states, which is aimed to create a functioning European System for the border guards. FRONTEX staff operate based on corporate values of teamwork. Activities are performed in the most professional way. Humanity provides a linkage between FRONTEX’s activities and its promotion of respect for fundamental human rights. To meet its goals and strategic objectives, FRONTEX uses all available means such as enhanced interagency cooperation, cooperation with non-EU nations, and third countries in the fulfillment of its remit. FRONTEX is preferred during the provision of operational expertise and support on border management and migration to EU commission, member states and other agencies operating under EU (Frontex).

EMSA

According to a report, (European Commission), there are over 300 military and civilian authorities in EU member states undertaking coastguard functions such as maritime security, safety, rescue and search, fisheries control, general law enforcement, border control, environmental protection, and customs control. EMSA in collaboration of agencies such as FRONTEX and other EU agencies support execution of these functions at the borders of the member states. The need to enhance an improve coordination and collaboration between EMSA and other agencies of the EU has been acknowledged in several Union maritime transport legislations, EU Security Strategy and action plans adopted through the 2014 Council and the Unions Agendas with respect to migration according to a 2015 commission report. The legislative proposal form regarding EMSA on migration, according to the report reinforces and protects Europe’s external borders that include European corporate strategies on coastguard functions. The proposal aimed at reinforcement of EU’s coastguard functions ability to respond to risks and threats common along the maritime domains through improvement of cooperation and collaboration between cross-sector and cross-border actions. EMSA thus supports other agencies in the maritime domains to ensure uniform, high, and effective maritime security and safety, response to, prevention of pollution caused by boats and ships. EMSA policies are also consistent with other agencies’ policies which further enhances cooperation between European Union member states (European Commission).

Cooperation and Collaboration between EMSA and FRONTEX

In order to monitor border activities and movements, EMSA and FRONTEX coordinates and collaborate their efforts to ensure effectiveness and efficiency of the process. For instance, EMSA main activities entail maritime related information such as integrated vessel information that tracks any vessels suspected to be operating illegally along the Mediterranean and Atlantic water masses. The information also helps Maritime Analysis and Operations Centre- Narcotics, an initiative of the seven EU member states and is based at Lisbon. EMSA also provides information on real time awareness on the maritime domains that include operational culture, correlation of satellite and terrestrial Artificial Intelligence Systems, and LRIT location reports and other registry records. The information when relayed to FRONTEX is applied to assess, monitor and provide an analysis of behavior, risks at the EU member states’ borders, and categorizing of the possible targets not complying with border rules and policies. Naval Forces of the EU (EU-NARFOR) undertakes anti-piracy operational activities along the Indian Ocean and Somalian coastlines. To achieve this, EMSA must provide integrated maritime related services, which include integration and correlation of broader vessel reporting information systems such as shipborne AIS, coastal AIS, LRIT, ship reporting systems, and satellite AIS and intelligence based information such as merchant vessel piracy risk profiles, customized into maritime pictures. The information is also used by FRONTEX to determine the nature and number of people operating along the EU’s member states borders and takes necessary steps to counter any possible illegal entry into the countries protected by it. For FRONTEX to monitor and detect any possible movement of unauthorized people along or across the borders of the EU member states, EMSA, using its technological interfaces provides satellite vessel detection data that incorporates both optical and radar images, which detects movement of people across borders. Through effective and clear collaboration, both EMSA and FRONTEX incorporates system-to-system monitoring interfaces that provides real time vessel information regarding the vessel’s position, and the automated monitoring of vessel position. In this case, available positioning data, both satellite and terrestrial systems provide information that is allied against satellite orifice optical and radar imagery, which is obtained from vessel detections. Thus, EMSA plays a significant role in the provision maritime related information to FRONTEX, which supports operations addressing irregular and illegal migration of people into the EU’s member states and cross-border crimes along the EU member state borders. The Service Level Agreement between Fontex and EMSA was approved and signed on April 2013. The Agreement (SLA) defines conditions for EMSA to provide maritime related information to European Border Surveillance System (EUROSUR) and other joint operations (EMSA).

EMSA Services to FRONTEX

Both EMSA and FRONTEX, an EU’s border agency signed and approved an interagency agreement that will foresee their cooperation for three years before it is renewed. Both agencies will work together in activities such as surveillance of the borders of the EU member states, intercepting vessels with suspicion of engagement in criminal activities, cross border crimes and providing support during search and rescue operations.

In combating illegal cross border activities, EMSA is obliged according to Service Level Agreement to offer the following services to FRONTEX;

Tracking and monitoring of vessels. This including reporting last vessel positions, filtering alternatives for specific data sources (AIS, LRIT, etc.) and historical tracking of particular vessels.

Vessel detection services. VDS includes detection of vessels cruising over water bodies using satellite radar, correlation of these detections with vessel tracks, and outlining small unrevealed boats.

Anomaly detection services. Monitoring of vessel behavior, notification alerts for any strange and suspecting behavior, and provision of advanced anomaly detection algorithms.

Activity detection services. Monitoring of high resolution of optical imaging, detection of activities over ports, shore and sea areas.

Vessel reporting services. Reporting vessels of interest on a regular basis, monitoring any potential and suspicious behavior using intelligence driven approaches.

For the big vessels, EMSA services to FRONTEX include monitoring of cross0border activities such as smuggling weapons, migrants, drugs, and tobacco, tracking specific vessels of concern, and identification of behavioral patterns that demonstrate unlawful activities at the sea (EMSA).

For small vessels, EMSA services to FRONTEX include providing early notification alerts using satellite radar on small-unknown boats at sea, follow up services by FRONTEX or member states for identification, search and rescue operations, and the transfer of information to all operational authorities in near-real-time (EMSA).

Extension of Cooperation between EMSA, FRONTEX, and EFCA

EMSA (European, Maritime Safety Agency), FRONTEX, and EFCA (European Fisheries Control Agency) entered a bilateral interagency agreement on May 25th 2016, which looked into coordinating their efforts to address various issues presenting themselves at maritime areas (Frontex). Some of the areas the three agencies will address include interception of vessels with suspecting behavior, surveillance of borders, crimes across borders, supporting any search and rescue operations at the seas, and illicit fishing. The official signing of the cooperation agreement was attended by Fabrice Leggeri, FRONTEX Executive Director; Markku Mylly, EMSA Executive Director, and Pascal Savouret, EFCA Executive Director and transpired at Warsaw FRONTEX headquarters (Frontex). Under the agreement, EMSA will continue providing valuable services to FRONTEX in support of its member states to execute border and maritime-based legal obligations. EMSA also provides assistance to FRONTEX in the provision of several Eurosur Fusion Services (EFS) that include; suspicious activities monitoring, tracking of vessels with suspecting criminal activities and people smuggling. Using support from EMSA, FRONTEX will implement Copernicus Delegation Agreement which encompasses the support for monitoring for several services which include satellite detection of vessels. For clarity, Copernicus, a European System, monitors the earth using multiple satellite data besides other complex sensors. The complex system sets gathers information from multiple data sources such as ground stations, earth observation satellites, seaborne and air-borne sensors. Thus, FRONTEX is obliged to implement satellite service activities as a dedicated move to enhance border surveillance, section of Copernicus programme. On the other hand, the bilateral agreement between FRONTEX and EFCA entails sharing of additional information regarding fishing boats and ships that could help both agencies tighten and boost their efforts to execute their roles (Frontex).

Conclusion

It is clear that, cooperation is pivotal during maritime traffic monitoring. For instance, effective inspection, surveillance and control are based on utilization of all sources of information, which is achieved through combination of data that is presented in a user-friendly terms. EMSA is one of the EU’s decentralized agency based in Lisbon, Belgium and provides technical assistances and support to EU and its member states in their implementation and development of maritime safety legislations. It executes other tasks such as vessel monitoring, pollution from ships, maritime security, and long range monitoring and identification of vessels. Moreover, EMSA is the main provider of operational ICT platforms from which other agencies can rely to execute their functions. An agency such as FRONTEX whose main roles surround coastguard functions depend on EMSA for a variety of information pivotal for the success of its operations. Thus, EMSA develops pilot monitoring services that assists and supports FRONTEX during their surveillance operations. The agency provides FRONTEX with data and tails this data with user-friendly interfaces. With support from EMSA, other agencies such as FRONTEX and EFCA are able to undertake their implementation and monitoring plans, reporting and evaluation arrangements.

As there are many benefits of combined efforts in maritime traffic control, the technology has been unable to detect other vessels such as small boats. Thus, the prevailing satellite and land technologies cannot detect these small boats, which poses a topic for further discussion on how to be able to detect them. The problem transpires since the boats do not produce sufficient reflection that can be detected by radar technology. Also, optical imagery targets only small areas and can only be used at day time when there are no clouds. Satellite information is also not sufficient to address this challenge since it is only available during certain times according to the satellite’s flight track. However, this problem can be overcome using RPAS (drones). RPAS service can only work with support from Coast Guard and European Border Agencies. EMSA can contribute to the use of this technology, which has a multipurpose character and is used for various public tasks at the sea such as search and rescue, safety and navigation, border control, fishery control, detection of pollution, and enforcement of law. In addition, RPAS technology should be cheaper and ESMA should use it to obtain complementary information to be relayed to other agencies (FRONTEX) such as overall surveillance chains, vessel position information, and maritime patrol aircrafts and vessels.

References

EMSA. EMSA Services to FRONTEX. Lisbon, Brussels: EMSA, 2016.

EMSA. Work Programme 2016. Lisbon, Portugal: EMSA, 2016.

European Commission. Regulation of The European Parliament and of the Council. Brussels, Belgium: EU, 2016.

FRONTEX. FRONTEX, EMSA and EFCA extend cooperation. 25 May 2016. 05 March 2017. .

FRONTEX. General Report 2015. Warsaw, Poland: FRONTEX, 2015.