New lanes were proposed in the Gulf of Finland where the passenger vessels operating between Helsinki and the Estonian capital Tallinn cross paths with shipping going in the east-west direction, Helsingin Sanomat/LETA reported. The mid-sea intersection has been seen as a potential safety hazard, especially in the summer. Finland, Estonia and Russia are proposing changes to the system of sea lanes in the Gulf of Finland.
However, congestion is likely to be easier in the coming summer anyway, as the number of high-speed vessels is declining. Of three companies operating light high-speed vessels, only one is left – the Estonian Linda Line with its two catamarans.
If the IMO approves the proposal, it could take effect from July 2010 at the earliest. The arrangement would be a recommendation, but if it does not work out, tougher rules could be considered, says Kari Kosonen, deputy director of the Finnish Maritime Administration.
The proposal calls for the establishment of "not quite a roundabout, but almost" in the middle of the Gulf of Finland.
A route allocation system already exists in the Gulf of Finland, aimed at keeping the vessels sailing in various directions at a safe distance from each other. Finland, Estonia, and Russia monitor compliance and react to violations.
A new routing system in the Åland Sea between the Åland Islands and Sweden, is taking effect from the beginning of next year.
Kosonen announced the project at a presentation event organised by the EU's EfficienSea programme. The EU has granted EUR 8 million to the development of the future of the Baltic. The project involves Finland, Estonia, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, and Poland.
One of the goals of the EfficienSea project is to set up a system in which more information is automatically moved from ships to the land, for the use of authorities.
The Finnish Maritime Administration is starting its own pilot project in which route plans are drawn up in advance, and fed into a computer system, which would check through the plan and monitor its implementation.
When all of the ships' routes are in the system, it would be able to anticipate possible danger zones.
Kosonen feels that the system could first comprise tanker vessels, and then passenger ships. Neste Shipping has already promised to help develop a system in which routing information is made available to officials.