The goal of the project is to build a jointly used laboratory and innovation environment for the study and development of smart maritime transport (see Aurora smart road project and NLS Snowbox project).

Modern marine navigation combines various data, such as satellite positioning, sea level, fairway depth and smart navigation marks. The Finnish Geospatial Research Institute (FGI) of the National Land Survey of Finland (NLS) maintains Finland’s coordinate and height systems and conducts research related to these systems and Earth’s gravitational field. In the project, FGI analyses the accuracy and repeatability of satellite positioning and identifies the application of the geoid model to use the height system and sea level data with satellite positioning. The project focuses on the Port of Rauma and its smart navigation fairway.

Led by the Satakunta University of Applied Sciences, the project’s main partners are the Finnish Meteorological Institute and FGI. The project has received 347 949 € of funding from the EU Structural Fund Programme, of which 78 120 € has been allocated to FGI. During the project, the main project party will also prepare the procurement of a remotely controlled / autonomous test vessel as part of the ISTLAB laboratory in cooperation with international and/or Finnish manufacturers.