SecurePax (1.1.2019–31.12.2021)
Due to increased security threats in public transport in Europe, there is a need to minimise this danger at the maritime terminals. Ensuring passenger traffic security is especially challenging in the core ports of Turku and Stockholm. As the port calls of the ferries on the liner traffic between these two ports lasts only for ca. 1 hour, the disembarkation and boarding of passengers as well as unloading and loading of vehicles need to be executed without any delay to keep to the tight schedule of the ships. This severely limits the available options to control the boarding passengers, vehicles and luggage.
The SecurePax project will tackle this challenge. Innovative digitalised security and ICT solutions will be implemented in the Viking Line passenger terminals in the ports of Turku and Stockholm.
The key goals of Viking Line in the project:
- Enable detection of the identity of the boarding passengers in the passenger terminals and exchange of information with the respective authorities. This will be done by mapping and piloting suitable technical solutions for digital registration of passengers and their identity.
- Explore the possibilities to prevent the boarding of unwanted persons in close cooperation with national authorities. For this purpose, the due process and the practical interpretation and implementation of the International Ship and Port Facility Security (ISPS) Code will be clarified.
- Enable detection of stowaways and dangerous items in the vehicles, luggage or on passengers. For this purpose, the available technologies will be explored, and suitable solutions will be piloted, and their technical suitability and regulatory compliance will be evaluated.
The SecurePax project pilots digitalised security services and solutions not used before in maritime passenger terminals to ensure sustainable and efficient maritime transport in the long run. The best solutions and piloted technologies will be implemented in full scale in the new joint passenger terminal of the Port of Turku after the end of the project. The successful results will be also shared with the wider maritime community in Europe. The project is coordinated by the Port of Turku, and Viking Line and Tallink Silja act as project partners. SecurePax has been awarded co-funding from Connecting Europe Facility (CEF).
