The Baltic Sea is one of the busiest shipping areas in the world, with maritime traffic steadily increasing over the passing decades. At the same time, the unique and sensitive natural environment of the sea basin provides crucial ecosystem services. To ensure the future of sustainable blue economy in the region, dynamic and shared solutions are needed to minimize the risks associated with maritime traffic and the potential impacts of accidents. 

In response to this challenge, the OpenRisk II project aims to deliver new, practical and user-centered risk management tools. These tools are designed to assist maritime authorities, as well as other transport authorities and relevant stakeholders, in preventing accidents, minimizing human and environmental consequences and enhancing overall maritime risk management. With a combination of hands-on user experience and scientific expertise in risk analysis and management, the project partnership is well-positioned to develop these solutions. 

The project will produce three key tools: 

• The Baltic adaptation of the AISyRISK tool presents the risk picture in the risk landscape of the Baltic Sea in an interactive map and graph format, accessible online. It will also feature a new risk assessment module on ice navigation, which could have applications beyond the Baltic Sea Region. Primarily designed for long-term planning and risk mitigation, this tool helps users better understand and address maritime risks. 
• The EcoSensitivity tool is a cutting-edge web-based decision support system designed to evaluate the consequences of oil spills on marine environments. It covers all stages, from defining accident specifics to modeling oil distribution and ecological impacts, providing comprehensive insights for effective response planning. 
• The R-Mare matrix is a risk maturity model that allows maritime administrations to assess their current risk management performance and identify areas for improvement, guiding them toward higher maturity levels. Additionally, a method for assessing quality during the tendering process of maritime risk studies introduces specific evaluation criteria, ensuring that the proposals meet required standards for reliable and actionable results. 

The project engages a wide range of stakeholders, including national, regional, EU, and global entities, to enrich the work. Through these collaborations, the project gains valuable insights for refining and validating the tools. Practical piloting workshops offer key opportunities to test and collect feedback, ensuring that the tools are optimized for real-world applications. 

Through these efforts, OpenRisk II seeks to advance maritime risk management in the Baltic Sea Region, contributing to a safer and more sustainable future for maritime activities.