01 MEDESS4MS Project Overview - Mediterranean Decision ...

MEDESS 4MS 

Mediterranean Decision Support System for Marine 

Safety 

Project Overview 

The project is being co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund

Overview 

Project key figures and partnership 

Brief Project overview 

GMES and MEDESS4MS implementation 


Key Features 

Project Start: 01/02/2012 

Duration 3 years (end 31/1/2015) 

Budget 6,146,317.75M€ 

21 partners from 7 countries (6 MS) 

1 non partner structure 

3 subcontractors (via tenders) 

68 participants 


Partners 

Partner Name WP Country 

Department of Merchant Shipping (DMS) 1, 4 Cyprus 

Oceanography Center, University of Cyprus (OC-UCY) 

Cyprus 

METEO-FRANCE (MF) 

Puertos del Estado 

University of Balearic Islands – Mediterranean Institute of Advanced 

Studies (UIB-IMEDEA) 

Innovamar 

ICM – CSIC 

France 

Spain 

Spain 

Spain 

Spain 

Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia (INGV) 6 Italy 

Italian Coast Guard (ITCG) 

Italy 

Port Authority of Algeciras Bay 

LUISS (Libera Universita’ Internazionale degli Studi Sociali) 3 Italy 

Regional Marine Pollution Emergency Response Centre for the 

Mediterranean Sea (REMPEC) 

Malta 


Partners 

Partner Name WP Country 

IOI-Malta Operational Centre, University of Malta 2 Malta 

Hellenic Centre for Marine Research (HCMR) 5 Greece 

Institute of Accelerating Systems and Applications (IASA) 

Port Organisation of Heraklion 

Maritime Safety Deparment of Montenegro 

Centre de Documentation, de Recherche et d'Experimntations sur le 

pollutions accidentelles des eaux (Cedre) 

Decentralized Administration of Crete (DAC) 

French Research Institute for Exploitation of the Sea (IFREMER) 

Foundation IMC - International Marine Centre ONLUS (IMC) 

Greece 

Greece 

Montenegro 

France 

Greece 

France 

Italy 

Non-Partner Structure 

Environmental Office of Corse Direction 

deleguee adjointe "Mer Littoral” 

France 


Number of Partners/Country 

Malta, 2 Montenegro, 1 

Italy, 4 

Greece, 4 

Cyprus, 2 

Spain, 4 

France, 4 


Budget / Partner 

3% 

2% 2% 

2% 

2% 

5% 

4% 

7% 

5% 

3% 

7% 

6% 

2% 

10% 

11% 

12% 

3% 

3% 

3% 

4% 

3% 

DMS 

OC-UCY 

MF 

Puertos del Estado 

UIB-IMEDEA 

Innovamar 

ICM - CSIC 

INGV 

ITCG 

Port Authority of Algeciras Bay 

LUISS 

REMPEC 

IOI-Malta 

HCMR 

IASA 

Port Organisation of Heraklion 

Maritime Safety Deparment of Montenegro 

Cedre 

DAC 

IFREMER 

Foundation IMC 


Budget / Country 

Cyprus France Greece Spain Italy Malta Montenegro 

2% 

9% 22% 

27% 

8% 

15% 

17% 


Project Scope 

The project is dedicated to the maritime risks prevention 

and strengthening of maritime safety related to oil spill 

pollution in the Mediterranean. 

MEDESS4MS will deliver an integrated operational multi 

model oil spill prediction service in the Mediterranean, 

connected to existing monitoring platforms (EMSA-CSN, 

REMPEC, AIS), using the well established oil spill 

modeling systems, the data from the GMES Marine Core 

Services and the national ocean forecasting systems. 


Project Objectives 

MEDESS4MS will establish a downstream service 

including: 

Exploitation of the GMES MCS products in support of the 

MEDESS4MS oil spill prediction downstream service 

Design and implementation of a unique Web portal access 

point for end-users with different UI (for EMSA, REMPEC 

and generic users) 

Training of end-users on the MEDESS4MS service, particular 

the key end-users and the generic users, as well as non-EU 

countries responsible agencies, as defined by REMPEC for the 

Mediterranean and the MS responsible agencies, and by 

EMSA 

Develop concepts and plans for economic business models to 

extend the user base of the downstream service i.e. its 

implementation to other EU regions, such as the Black Sea. 


Work Breakdown Structure 

The project consists of the following workpackages: 

 

 

 

 

 

 

WP1 - Project Coordination 

WP2 - Information and awareness raising 

WP3 - Capitalisation and long lasting effects 

WP4 - To improve the evaluation and the monitoring of risks 

WP5 - To strengthen common analytical and planning tools 

WP6 - To compare and strengthen operational intervention 

systems 


The role of MEDESS4MS in 

operational oil spill response 

One of the permanent 

risks from an incident in 

the Mediterranean, is 

associated with the 

heavy traffic of 

maritime transport and 

with the coastal and 

offshore installations 

related to oil industry. 

Such a dense activity, 

imposes on the coastal 

countries the need for 

preparing an operational 

response in cases of 

major incident. 

An incident like this 

may occurs 

Lloyds 1995-1999) 

The recommended procedure for 

Response to an oil responding to oil spill incidents 

incident: oil combating includes the application of oil 

vessel 

spill models. 

3 

4 

5 

Map with ship accidents: 

more than 4 ships per 

Ship density: 

Response to oil incident: 

booms deployment 

The catastrophe 


GMES for MEDESS4MS 

GMES aims to: 

establish the capability for global monitoring, in support of EU; 

gather relevant data and provide cost-effective and sustainable end-users 

services; 

provide a decision/support system for end-users, enabling the acquisition, 

interpretation and distribution of the information related to the environment, 

risk management and the natural resources. 

The general aims of Ocean component of GMES: 

to produce a regular and systematic information on the state of the oceans 

(analyses and forecasts) for global and European Seas; 

The products should be observational and model data, in RT 


GMES Marine Core Service 

MEDESS4MS 

Implementation Group report by P.Ryder & al 


GMES : MyOcean Marine Core Services 

Baltic Sea: models and observations: 

currents, temperature, salinity, 

sea level 

Black Sea: models and observations: 

currents, temperature, salinity, 

sea level 

Mediterranean: models and observations: currents, 

temperature, salinity, sea level 


GMES and oil spill predictions 

in the Mediterranean 

Before GMES () 

- Run the GMES marine services 

• MyOCEAN 

- Ensure the link of individual MS marine security services and key end 

users with the MCS products 


will establish an integrated 

MDS for oil spill predictions 

in the Mediterranean using 

GMES MCS products and 

will provide access to the 

integrated service to key users 

and to local response agencies 

from all the coastal countries 

in the Mediterranean. 


The role of MEDESS4MS in 

operational oil spill response 

The basic response to an oil spill employs different measures and appropriate 

equipment. However, in order to make optimal use of such devices and to assist 

the agencies , the initial response to oil spill incidents needs to : 

1) integrate the different well established oil spill forecasting systems with the MCS products 

and the downscaled national OO systems; 

2) connect the existing oil spill monitoring systems, such as EMSA-CSN, and REMPEC to the 

integrated oil spill forecasting service; 

3) connect the AIS to the integrated oil spill forecasting service and allow the hind-cast of the 

oil slicks to facilitate the identification of the ship that has potentially originated the spill; 

4) increase the prevention/mitigation capacities for oil spill damages to coastal areas using oil 

spill forecasts and decision support tools; 

5) increase the national capacities to all countries in the Mediterranean, making available the 

integrated oil spill forecasting service to key users, such as REMPEC and EMSA and to public 

national authorities and private users. 


As from REMPEC, the agencies need 

an integrated service… 


to strengthen the 

national/regional response 

chain for accidental spills 

and deliberate discharges 

from ships. 

Modified from Cristina Farchi 


What is available now 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The EMSA CSN service offers to the MS a NRT marine oil spill detection service using 

SAR imagery acquired by Envisat and Radarsat satellites; 

REMPEC contingency plans and support team; 

GMES Marine Core Service (ocean monitoring & forecasts); 

National OO forecasting services, which working in a disconnected way from satellite oil 

spill monitoring and the MCS; 

MOON-DEA, allowing a legal framework to exchange OO forecasting and monitoring 

data; 

MOON - REMPEC agreement for collaboration and the established ERO; 

EU and national oil spill forecasting validation exercise during the last five years; 

Lebanon oil spill pollution response case shows the importance of having RT downscaled 

OO forecast and downstream services; 

EMSA “Workshop to define the technical links between CSN and external oil spill 

models, Lisbon, 5 March 2009; 

MOON partners collaboration with EMSA at different levels, particular to test the 

capability of the forecasting system to be coupled with EMSA CSN. 


What are the main problems to be solved 

 

 

 

 

 

Oil spill detection with satellite and forecasting networks are still 

disconnected (after the EMSA CSN “warning” there are no other 

procedures established); 

Oil spill forecasting procedures not yet fully established between 

Mediterranean MS; 

Real time environmental data from MCS not complemented with 

best information from the national OO forecasting systems of the 

coastal MS; 

Unique access multi-model solution to oil spill forecasting not yet 

available; 

Support for non-EU countries, which compose at least half of the 

riparian countries in the Mediterranean, is not available yet. 


MEDESS4MS service solutions 

EMSA on 21 November 2008 has published a paper illustrating ‘EMSA’s view 

on further development of oil spill modelling’. 

MEDESS4MS provides solutions to all 11 EMSA’s requirements. 

MEDESS4MS will provide 3 services scenarios: 

1) RT oil spill forecasting by authorized users; 

2) Delayed mode by authorized users; 

3) Oil Spill Decision Support System, for selection of management strategies. 

MEDESS4MS service scenario 1 examines two different User Interfaces, one better 

suited to the EMSA requirements (including automatic mode) and another to REMPEC 

and generic users. 


MEDESS4MS service solution 

MEDESS4MS will build upon the demo implementations carried out in 

the frame of EC projects (MFSTEP, MERSEA, ECOOP, MyOCEAN 

MARCOAST), by maturing the pre-cursor services provided to individual 

MS response agencies, to an integrated structured service delivery for all 

the countries in the Mediterranean, and to major key end-users, such as 

REMPEC and EMSA. 

The geographical area of the service will 

cover the Mediterranean, based on the 

sound expertise of the MEDESS4MS 

MOON and response agencies partners 

in their areas of responsibility. 

Geographical deployment of the SOS-SOUTH subsystems: 

Red - MEDSLIK Orange - MOTHY Green - TESEO 

Yellow - POSEIDON 


LEV DESS a pre-cursor to MEDESS4MS 

SKIRON 

SST 

ALERMO 

CYCOFOS – 

LEV 

MHI 

SST - MODEL online 

VALIDATION 

CYCOFO 

S 

CYCOFOS 

WAVE 

FORECAST 

CYCOFOS - 

SECy 

Downstream 

forcing 

Request from 

response agencies: 

CyDMC, REMPEC, 

EMSA-CSN, etc 

OUTPU 

TS 

ESA IMAGE EMSA CSN 

IMAGE 

ONLINE OUTPUTS 

MEDSLIK 

OUTPUTS TO 

EMSA 

EMSA CSN IMAGE 

BLACK SEA 

OUTPUTS 

Reques 

t from 

EMSA 


Thank you for 

your attention 


WP1-Project Coordination 

WP Leader: Department of Merchant Shipping (DMS) 

Description: The MEDESS4MS brings together institutional 

and operational actors, governmental policy and management 

departments, operational ocean forecasting centers and 

research institutes. To ensure overall coordination of activities, 

budget control and timely delivery of deliverables, the project 

management structure consists of Project Coordinator & 

Project Office, Process/Content Management (OC-UCY), 

Steering Group (consisting of the project coordinator, WP 

leaders, and project partners) and six WPs. 


WP1 - Deliverables 

D1.1 6-monthly progress reports 

D1.2 Annual Reports 

D1.3 Final Report (month 36) 


WP2-Information and awareness 

raising 

WP Leader: IOI-Malta Operational Centre, University of Malta 

Description: The WP2 will identify the key users requirements, in 

order to properly interact with WP5 and WP6 to take into account 

their needs in the development of the three service scenarios and 

in the implementation of the User Interface. The MEDESS4MS 

web portal will be developed on the basis of a state-of-the-art 

framework with dynamic content management and multiple-level 

access and functionality. Besides the public area, it will have 

reserved areas for project partners, for end-users and subscribers, 

for project exchanges and activities like fora and online 

questionnaires. Dedicated user meetings at regional scale will be 

organized. 



 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

D2.1 Project web portal 

D.2.1_bis Report on identification and analysis of key end users and stakeholders 

D2.2 Online questionnaire on User requirement 

D2.3 Report on user characteristics, requirements and feedback 

D2.4 User manuals 

D2.5 End user general meetings 

D2.6 Sub-regional user meetings and work experiences exchange 

D2.7 Report on standard interface/format to integrate the MEDESS-4MS 

information and services to existing or new emergency plans 

D.2.8 project flyer 

D2.9 News letters 


WP3-Capitalisation and long lasting 

effects 

WP Leader: LUISS 

Description: The main objective of this WP is to ensure the use of 

project results by users through the implementation of specific 

actions. Implemented services will be developed in collaboration 

with users facilitating the utilization of project services after the 

end of the project. WP3 will define Service Level Agreements 

between partners and users. The WP3 will identify public and 

private investments system that will be used to sustain the service 

after the end of the project. Services are based on GMES MCS 

services which sustainability will be insured in the framework of 

EU and MS actions. This WP will also cost the different 

components of the service to define the proper economic model. 



 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

D3.1 Report on identification and analysis of enlarged base of potential users 

D3.2 Reports on visits to End-Users 

D3.3 Preparation of End-User Questionnaire 

D3.4 Reports on user characteristics, requirements and feedback 

D3.5 Report on Value assessment associated with different services and 

information by partners and potential users 

D3.6 Report on MEDESS4MED cost evaluations and model scenarios 

D3.7 Report on existing MoU and agreements 

D3.8 Preparation of the Exploitation Plan 

D3.9 Preparation of new Service level agreements with partners 


WP4-To improve the evaluation and the 

monitoring of risks 

WP Leader: Department of Merchant Shipping (DMS) 

Description: WP4 will improve the evaluation and monitoring of 

risks through a full set of relevant data (inventory of available data 

and collection of missing data) for use within a Geographic 

Information System (GIS), towards oil spill risk assessments in the 

Mediterranean region. High risk geographical areas will be located 

and will lead to formulate recommendations to national and 

regional authorities in charge of oil spill prevention, preparedness 

and response. WP4 will be in line with the activities carried out by 

the Mediterranean Technical Working Group (MTWG), which 

involves representative of all Mediterranean countries (EU and 

non-EU), following the 2011 MEDEXPOL workshop. 



D4.1 Data inventory 

D4.2 Integrated databases for risk assessment V1 

D4.3 Integrated databases for risk assessment V2 

D4.4 monitoring system and hazard scenarios 

D4.5 Mediterranean impact risk assessment report V1 

D4.6 Mediterranean impact risk assessment report V2 

D4.7 Regional impact risk assessment reports 


Timetable 

WP 2012 2013 2014 2015 

1 ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ 

2 ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ 

3 ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ 

4 ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ 

5 ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ 

6 ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ 


WP5 -To strengthen common analytical 

& planning tools 

WP Leader: Hellenic Centre for Marine Research (HCMR) 

Description: This WP will design the guidelines to interconnect 

the different parts of MEDESS4MS system and implement all the 

proposed modifications in different system platforms. 

MEDESS4MS will build a multi-model core component where 

the four oil spill models of the system will be able to run in the 

different Mediterranean Sea areas using the appropriate forcing 

fields. The interoperability of the required environmental data 

(atmospheric, hydrodynamic and wave data) and the oil slick data 

should be sustained. Since oil spill data from existing platforms 

that are used to initialize the models are provided through 

different sources (CSN, REMPEC) common guidelines will be 

developed. 



 

 

 

 

 

 

D5.1 Report on the existing MEDSS-4MS 

partners’ infrastructure related to oil spill 

predictions 

D5.2 Documentation on the required common 

specifications for building up the harmonized 

data management system for oil spill predictions 

D5.3 Delivery of V0, upgrade of prediction 

systems 

D5.4 Delivery of V1, upgrade of prediction 

systems 

D5.5 Report on the findings of the first Targeted 

Operational Period (TOP) (month 21) 

D5.6 Report on the findings of the second 

Targeted Operational Period (TOP) (month 36) 

 

 

 

 

 

 

D5.7 Network Data Repository 

specifications (month 7) 

D5.8 NDR Version 2 software suite (final 

version) (month 35) 

D5.9 NDR Version 1 software suite 

(month 15) 

D5.10 NDR Version 1.5 beta software 

suite (month 22) 

D5.11 Report on the operational 

functioning of the NDR and interfaces at 

the end of TOP2 (month 36) 

D5.12: Report on the operational 

functioning of the NDR and interfaces at 

the end of TOP1 (month 23) 


WP6-To compare & strengthen operational 

intervention systems 

 

 

 

 

 

WP Leader: Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia (INGV) 

WP6 provides 3 service scenarios (SS), in order to assist operational 

response agencies: 

Real time interactive oil spill predictions by the end-user request; 

Delayed mode hindcasts by end-user request; 

Decision support system (DSS) to manage emergency operations. 

OC-UCY, HCMR, MF, PdE, IMEDEA,IOI-UOM, ICM-CSIC, 

REMPEC, DMS, INGV, ITCG will analyse existing operational user 

tools and practice, define and develop the 3 SS and validate User 

Interface (UI) and the DSS. 

INGV, OC-UCY, ICM-CSIC will develop the UI and the DSS in 

collaboration with ITCG. 

INGV, REMPEC, ITCG, OC-UCY and CEDRE will organize the 

serious games, to test SS through real exercises at sea. 


WP6 – Deliverables 

D6.1 Operational user tools and practice analysis Report (month 9) 

D6.2 Real Time Interactive oil spill Forecasting scenario analysis Report (month 9) 

D6.3 Delayed mode hazard analysis scenario analysis Report (month 9) 

D6.4 Management of emergency operations scenario analysis Report (month 9) 

D6.5 UI (version 1, version 1.5, version 2) Prototype (month 35) 

D6.6 Decision Support System (v1, v1.5, v.2) Prototype (month 35) 

D6.7 Test reports (month 35) 

 

 

 

D6.8 Serious Game 1 report 

D6.9 Serious Game 2 report 

D6.10 Training 


Project Management 

The project will comprise of: 

 

 

 

 

 

Project Coordinator 

Project Office 

Steering Committee 

Advisory Board 

6 Work Packages 


Organization Chart 

M 

E 

D 

E 

S 

S 

- 

4 

M 

S 

(Project Partners) 

S 



Steering Committee 

 

 

For overall(scientific & technical) management and 

coordination of MEDESS4MS 

Responsibilities of Steering Committee: 

 

 

 

Decision making for MEDESS4MS regarding scientific and 

technical activities, financial and manpower planning, including 

decision making of priorities with the assistance of the Advisory 

Board. 

Monitoring of progress of all scientific and technical activities 

including taking of remediation actions in case of delay in 

progress 

Forum for exchange of general experience, and to monitor and 

discuss progress, planning and required activities for the Work 

Package developments. 



Steering Committee structure: 

 

 

 

 

 

chaired by the Project Coordinator 

Daily Manager of the project 

Work Package leaders 

project partners 

assisted by the Advisory Board and the Project Office. 

Management Board will consist of: 

 

 

Project coordinator 

WP leaders 


Project Coordination 

Project Coordination will be achieved through: 

 

 

 

Meetings 

Coordination tools e.g. Web portal 

Collaboration tools e.g. Web portal partners access, web 

application, email & mailing lists. 


Coordination meetings 

Management Board meetings: 

 

 

2 times a year and at the end of the project, 

in total 7 times during project duration of 3 years 

General meetings 


Coordination tools 

Project web portal 

 

 

 

Launched by month 3 with further updating and upgrading 

during project lifetime. 

Dynamic CMS (Content Management System) 

Multiple-level access 

 

 

Public area 

Dedicated area for project partners 

Online questionnaire on User requirements 

Available online by month 12 


Collaboration tools 

MEDESS4MS web portal 

Web application e.g. Google Groups 

 

 

For discussions, communication and document upload 

For monitoring and reporting the progress of project activities 

Email exchange 


Project Reporting 

Progress reports: 

6-monthly progress report (months 7,19,31) 

1-year report (months 13,25) 

Final Report (month 36) 

Financial reports 

Forms 

Payments 


Conclusion 

Thank you

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