SecurePax project aims at enhancing telecommunications and security
The European Union granted nearly 800,000 euros of financing to the Port of Turku’s SecurePax project which aims enhancing telecommunications and security with a total budget of 1.5 million euros. The financing was granted from the Connecting Europe Facility programme. Other parties in the project in addition to the Port of Turku are Viking Line and Tallink Silja. The project co-ordinator in the Port of Turku is Development Manager Markku Alahäme.
The purpose of the project is to develop methods that can identify passengers better and check that no prohibited items are taken to ships. Potential security and ICT solutions for the future will be piloted in the passenger harbours of both Turku and Stockholm.
The project is being implemented together with the shipping companies and the authorities, and external experts will be used in the development of methods. A 5G network will be tested in the port area in connection with the project. The best solutions and pilot technologies will be implemented in full in the joint passenger terminal in the Port of Turku after the completion of the project. Successful results will also be distributed more widely to maritime industry players in Europe.
Specific goals of the SecurePax project:
- Identify the passengers departing from Viking Line’s and Tallink Silja’s passenger terminals, and exchange information with the authorities. This will be done by mapping and testing suitable technical solutions for the digital registration of passengers and their identity.
- Look into the possibilities to prevent the embarkation of unwanted persons in close co-operation with the national authorities. For that purpose, the appropriate division of work and practical interpretation of the security system for international vessels and port structures (ISPS code) will be determined.
- Introduce technology for preventing the embarkation of unwanted persons and detect dangerous objects in vehicles or luggage or in possession of passengers in the Port of Turku’s passenger harbour area and in Viking Line’s and Tallink Silja’s passenger terminals in the ports of Turku and Stockholm. For that purpose, the project will study the available technologies, test suitable solutions, and evaluate their technical suitability and compliance with regulations related to data security.
- Study the ways for the digitalisation and standardisation of different security measures in the Port of Turku’s passenger harbour area.
- Test an internal high-speed mobile network based on 5G technology in the Port of Turku’s passenger harbour area.
