Microwave Journal
www.microwavejournal.com/articles/11087-perseus-project-to-develop-and-test-european-maritime-surveillance-system

PERSEUS Project to Develop and Test European Maritime Surveillance System

May 10, 2011

The Protection of European BoRders and Seas through the IntElligent Use of Surveillance (PERSEUS) project, led by Indra, has been instigated to provide protection of the European seas and borders with the smart use of technologies. The project, with a budget of €43.7 M and an execution period of four years, is one of the most significant initiatives within the 7th Framework Programme of the EC and will be the flagship of R&D in the maritime security segment.


PERSEUS addresses the call for an integrated European system for maritime border control. Its purpose is to build and demonstrate an EU maritime surveillance system integrating existing national and communitarian installations and enhancing them with innovative technologies. By means of two large scale demonstrations the project will prove its feasibility and will set the standards and grounds for the future development of EU maritime surveillance systems.

Indra will undertake the coordination of the consortium comprising 29 partners from 12 EU member countries. Collaboration with non European countries and international agencies such as NATO or the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) is also envisaged. The new maritime surveillance system is expected to increase the effectiveness of the current systems by creating a common maritime information sharing environment for the benefit of the network, including National Coordination Centres, Frontex and the European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA).

PERSEUS will incorporate technological innovations regarding detection and analysis applied to maritime security, particularly for the detection of low flying targets and small vessels. Multiple sensors and sources of information will be incorporated into the system, which will also employ technologies and capabilities under development by other EU projects, including other segments such as Space.

FP7 Programme Update

The PERSEUS Project is part of the 7th Framework Programme. The Project, which is set to end on 31 December 2014, will contribute to Europe’s efforts to monitor illegal migration and combat related crime and goods smuggling by proposing a large scale demonstration of an EU Maritime surveillance System of Systems. To discover the project’s objectives, participants, funding, etc., visit: www.mwjournal.com/FP7MAY2011.