OpenRisk II

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 delivered innovative, 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.  

The project outputs include three tools:  

• The AISyRisk Baltic presents the risk picture in the risk landscape of the Baltic Sea with interactive maps and graphs accessible online. It features 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, the 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 modelling oil distribution and ecological impacts, providing comprehensive insights for effective response planning. By integrating real-time big data, advanced algorithms, and simulation capabilities, the tool predicts oil spill dynamics, assesses environmental risks, and provides actionable guidance to enhance decision-making and response efficiency. 
• The R-Mare matrix, a tool for enhanced overall risk management performance, is a risk maturity model that enables maritime administrations to assess their current risk management performance and identify areas for improvement, guiding them toward higher maturity levels. 

The development of these tools during OpenRisk II in collaboration with a wide range of stakeholders ensured that they have been optimized for real-world applications. Together they bear the potential to advance maritime risk management in the Baltic Sea Region, contributing to a safer and more sustainable future for maritime activities.