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On June 8 the world celebrates World Oceans Day, when people around the planet celebrate our oceans and seas and work to raise awareness about problems facing the marine environment. The EU space programmes Galileo, EGNOS and Copernicus, with their positioning, navigation and Earth observation services, are helping to monitor and protect the oceans and make Europe’s Blue Economy more sustainable, in support of the European Green Deal agenda.

The EU space services play a key role in driving innovation in the context of marine sustainability by enabling the development of applications and services that help monitor and protect the marine environment and marine bio-resources. At the same time, highly accurate navigation and positioning information is helping to make maritime transport more efficient, safe and sustainable.

Increasing safety, protecting the environment

EGNOS, Europe’s sat-nav augmentation system, provides users with more accurate position information compared to GPS alone and a new maritime service based on the current version (EGNOS V2) will provide users with integrity information and maritime safety information, i.e. navigational warnings and notice to mariners, in line with IALA Guidelines. EGNOS V3, the planned evolution of this system, will augment Galileo signals in addition to GPS. 

Watch this: EGNOS for Maritime

A number of projects leverage EGNSS (Galileo and EGNOS) to increase maritime safety and help protect the environment. The EGNOSforAtoN project demonstrated operationally how to use EGNOS as source of differential corrections for IALA beacons and AIS stations in a cost-efficient way and in line with IALA Guidelines. The SeaSOLAS project has defined a potential maritime safety service based on EGNOS V3-enabled receivers on vessels, while the Hull-to-Hull project has defined new safety concepts based on EGNSS for operations between vessels and also for docking.

 The Safeport project delivered an EGNOS-based portable pilot unit and an app for pilotage and docking operations (SafePilot). The app is continuing to evolve and it is available for tablets and SmartWatches.

What’s more, EGNOS is helping to increase our awareness of the oceans through projects like CoSuDEC, which has created a system for enhanced surveying of coastal waters using standard navigation equipment. 

EGNSS is also a key enabler of the Automatic Identification System (AIS), which is used on ships and by vessel traffic services to identify and locate vessels. It also supports Long Range Identification and Tracking (LRIT), which is designed to collect and disseminate vessel position information. In so doing, the European space programmes are enabling more efficient traffic management and safer maritime navigation, and providing greater situational awareness in the marine environment.

In relation to this, the GNSS-enabled MEDUSE project aims at a more sustainable use of marine parks, and provides services to marine park users and tools to the park authorities, allowing them to track and trace vessels within restricted marine areas using AIS Class B transponders with EGNOS.

Fighting illegal fishing

GNSS also enables position reporting (the so-called ‘blue box’) in the Vessel Monitoring System (VMS), which is used in fisheries monitoring and provides data to the fisheries authorities on the location, course and speed of vessels. When combined with remote imagery in the Vessel Detection System (VDS), satellite technology is a key tool in the fight against illegal fishing, helping to identify and catch violators and protect fish stocks.

Read this: Space – underpinning the blue economy

Galileo satellites carry a SAR payload and the Galileo SAR service is an important contributor to the Global Cospas-Sarsat service for Search & Rescue. The Galileo SAR service is comprised of two components: an automatic Forward Link distress alert Service (FLS) and a Return Link Service (RLS), launched earlier this year, which allows people in distress to receive automatic acknowledgement that their alert has been received and is being processed. 

This combination, along with the increased positioning accuracy provided by Galileo, has reduced the time it takes to detect a person lost at sea from three hours to just 10 minutes after the distress beacon is activated. Localisation of the distress beacon has also improved - from 10 km to less than 5 km.

The Helios Project has developed maritime search and rescue beacons for vessels (EPIRBs) and for personal use (PLBs), which are already on the market and using Galileo (to see all Galileo enabled PLBs click here).

Europe’s eyes on Earth

It is not only the EGNSS component of the EU Space Programme that is helping support sustainability of our oceans and seas. Copernicus, “Europe’s eyes on Earth,” provides essential information in six main domains, including atmosphere monitoring, marine environment monitoring, and climate monitoring. In particular, the observations and forecasts produced by the Copernicus Marine Environment Monitoring Service (CMEMS) support marine applications, including safety, monitoring of marine resources and of the coastal and marine environment, in addition to providing weather, seasonal and climate forecasts.

According to the EU Blue Economy Report 2019, the usefulness of CMEMS is reflected in the increasing number of users not only among universities and public authorities, but also among businesses from different domains, including maritime safety, coastal and marine environment, marine resources and weather forecasting.

Copernicus services for security applications also offer maritime surveillance, thereby supporting a better understanding and improved monitoring of activities at sea within a wide range of operational functions such as maritime safety and security, fisheries control, customs, law enforcement, marine environment pollution monitoring, and others.

A final example of the exploitation of synergies between EGNSS and Copernicus for maritime surveillance and search and rescue is the SARA project, where a tethered drone installed on a vessel is used to locate seafarers and passengers in distress after a wreck.

Media note: This feature can be republished without charge provided the European GNSS Agency (GSA) is acknowledged as the source at the top or the bottom of the story. You must request permission before you use any of the photographs on the site. If you republish, we would be grateful if you could link back to the GSA website (http://www.gsa.europa.eu).

On June 8 the world celebrates World Oceans Day, when people around the planet celebrate our oceans and seas and work to raise awareness about problems facing the marine environment. The EU space programmes Galileo, EGNOS and Copernicus, with their positioning, navigation and Earth observation services, are helping to monitor and protect the oceans and make Europe’s Blue Economy more sustainable, in support of the European Green Deal agenda.

The EU space services play a key role in driving innovation in the context of marine sustainability by enabling the development of applications and services that help monitor and protect the marine environment and marine bio-resources. At the same time, highly accurate navigation and positioning information is helping to make maritime transport more efficient, safe and sustainable.

Increasing safety, protecting the environment

EGNOS, Europe’s sat-nav augmentation system, provides users with more accurate position information compared to GPS alone and a new maritime service based on the current version (EGNOS V2) will provide users with integrity information and maritime safety information, i.e. navigational warnings and notice to mariners, in line with IALA Guidelines. EGNOS V3, the planned evolution of this system, will augment Galileo signals in addition to GPS. 

Watch this: EGNOS and Galileo for Waterborne Transport

A number of projects leverage EGNSS (Galileo and EGNOS) to increase maritime safety and help protect the environment. The EGNOSforAtoN project demonstrated operationally how to use EGNOS as source of differential corrections for IALA beacons and AIS stations in a cost-efficient way and in line with IALA Guidelines. The SeaSOLAS project has defined a potential maritime safety service based on EGNOS V3-enabled receivers on vessels, while the Hull-to-Hull project has defined new safety concepts based on EGNSS for operations between vessels and also for docking.

 The Safeport project delivered an EGNOS-based portable pilot unit and an app for pilotage and docking operations (SafePilot). The app is continuing to evolve and it is available for tablets and SmartWatches.

What’s more, EGNOS is helping to increase our awareness of the oceans through projects like CoSuDEC, which has created a system for enhanced surveying of coastal waters using standard navigation equipment. 

EGNSS is also a key enabler of the Automatic Identification System (AIS), which is used on ships and by vessel traffic services to identify and locate vessels. It also supports Long Range Identification and Tracking (LRIT), which is designed to collect and disseminate vessel position information. In so doing, the European space programmes are enabling more efficient traffic management and safer maritime navigation, and providing greater situational awareness in the marine environment.

In relation to this, the GNSS-enabled MEDUSE project aims at a more sustainable use of marine parks, and provides services to marine park users and tools to the park authorities, allowing them to track and trace vessels within restricted marine areas using AIS Class B transponders with EGNOS.

Fighting illegal fishing

GNSS also enables position reporting (the so-called ‘blue box’) in the Vessel Monitoring System (VMS), which is used in fisheries monitoring and provides data to the fisheries authorities on the location, course and speed of vessels. When combined with remote imagery in the Vessel Detection System (VDS), satellite technology is a key tool in the fight against illegal fishing, helping to identify and catch violators and protect fish stocks.

Read this: Space – underpinning the blue economy

Galileo satellites carry a SAR payload and the Galileo SAR service is an important contributor to the Global Cospas-Sarsat service for Search & Rescue. The Galileo SAR service is comprised of two components: an automatic Forward Link distress alert Service (FLS) and a Return Link Service (RLS), launched earlier this year, which allows people in distress to receive automatic acknowledgement that their alert has been received and is being processed. 

This combination, along with the increased positioning accuracy provided by Galileo, has reduced the time it takes to detect a person lost at sea from three hours to just 10 minutes after the distress beacon is activated. Localisation of the distress beacon has also improved - from 10 km to less than 5 km.

The Helios Project has developed maritime search and rescue beacons for vessels (EPIRBs) and for personal use (PLBs), which are already on the market and using Galileo (to see all Galileo enabled PLBs click here).

Europe’s eyes on Earth

It is not only the EGNSS component of the EU Space Programme that is helping support sustainability of our oceans and seas. Copernicus, “Europe’s eyes on Earth,” provides essential information in six main domains, including atmosphere monitoring, marine environment monitoring, and climate monitoring. In particular, the observations and forecasts produced by the Copernicus Marine Environment Monitoring Service (CMEMS) support marine applications, including safety, monitoring of marine resources and of the coastal and marine environment, in addition to providing weather, seasonal and climate forecasts.

According to the EU Blue Economy Report 2019, the usefulness of CMEMS is reflected in the increasing number of users not only among universities and public authorities, but also among businesses from different domains, including maritime safety, coastal and marine environment, marine resources and weather forecasting.

Copernicus services for security applications also offer maritime surveillance, thereby supporting a better understanding and improved monitoring of activities at sea within a wide range of operational functions such as maritime safety and security, fisheries control, customs, law enforcement, marine environment pollution monitoring, and others.

A final example of the exploitation of synergies between EGNSS and Copernicus for maritime surveillance and search and rescue is the SARA project, where a tethered drone installed on a vessel is used to locate seafarers and passengers in distress after a wreck.

Media note: This feature can be republished without charge provided the European GNSS Agency (GSA) is acknowledged as the source at the top or the bottom of the story. You must request permission before you use any of the photographs on the site. If you republish, we would be grateful if you could link back to the GSA website (http://www.gsa.europa.eu).

The European GNSS Agency (GSA) has published a White Paper on “Power-efficient positioning for the Internet of Things”, providing an overview of GNSS technologies that are relevant for low-power IoT applications, including those that require hybridisation with other connectivity solutions. The GSA is organising a dedicated webinar on 18 June to present the main findings from the paper. 

The world is embracing Internet of Things (IoT) applications. Billions of internet-connected devices are capable of sensing, communicating, interacting, computing and actuating. These devices are set to become even more integrated into our daily lives and by 2022 it is estimated that around 18 billion out of 29 billion connected devices will be related to the IoT.

With millions of moving interconnected devices in the IoT environment, many applications require or benefit from knowing the location of an individual device. In this context, the latest GSA White Paper looks at how GNSS-based positioning for the IoT can be made more power-efficient, to meet the needs of this growing market.

Key findings

GNSS is a viable solution for tracking objects in the IoT world. However, the power consumed by positioning is an important concern. Two basic approaches have emerged in recent years to optimise consumption: transmission of pseudoranges for remote position determination, and snapshot techniques. In the first of these, the power consumption related to determining position is saved by transmitting the measurements to an external facility with no power restrictions while, for the second, the GNSS receiver is only activated for short periods to determine the position. 

Read this: Harnessing Galileo to shape the future of IoT

Combining both approaches will decrease the power consumption even further but, ultimately, the optimal solution will depend on the application in question. “When deciding on a GNSS-based solution for a given application, numerous factors play a role including target accuracy, selected LPWAN, desired battery life, ease of integration, and hardware and implementation cost,” according to the report.

The White Paper also advises applications that require a position accuracy of one meter or less to use a multi-constellation, multi-frequency receiver. “However, as most low-power IoT applications prioritise extending battery life, a multi-constellation single-frequency receiver is sufficient when positioning accuracy of multiple meters is acceptable,” it notes.

The report also states that, when deciding on an energy-efficient GNSS technique, the choice of the terrestrial network limits the possible options, as most solutions rely on external data to determine the position via GNSS.

A dedicated webinar 

The main findings from the White Paper will be presented at a dedicated webinar on Power-efficient positioning for the Internet of Things, to take place at 15:00 on 18 June. This GSA-hosted webinar will also feature input from major chipset manufacturers in the IoT domain such as STM & U-blox. 

What’s more, EU-funded R&D projects that are working to reduce the power consumption of GNSS positioning for the Internet of Things will also present their innovative solutions. These include: “Accurate GNSS POsitioning for Low power and Low-cost Objects” (APOLLO), which aims at providing a Galileo-based geolocation solution for the IoT market by drastically reducing energy consumption.

The APOLLO project noted in the White Paper that: “The ability to calculate the GNSS position of IoT objects with a very small energy footprint will pave the way for a market of tens of millions of moving objects each year.”

Also presenting at the webinar will be the GEONAV IoT project, which is working to develop and deliver precise ubiquitous positioning and navigation applications and services; and the Galileo of Things gs(GoT) project, which is targeting the delivery of a Galileo semiconductor-IP core that mates with NB-IoT IP for low-power consumption solutions. 

Interested? For more information and to register, click here.

Media note: This feature can be republished without charge provided the European GNSS Agency (GSA) is acknowledged as the source at the top or the bottom of the story. You must request permission before you use any of the photographs on the site. If you republish, we would be grateful if you could link back to the GSA website (http://www.gsa.europa.eu).

The European GNSS Agency (GSA) has published a White Paper on “Power-efficient positioning for the Internet of Things”, providing an overview of GNSS technologies that are relevant for low-power IoT applications, including those that require hybridisation with other connectivity solutions. The GSA is organising a dedicated webinar on 18 June to present the main findings from the paper. 

The world is embracing Internet of Things (IoT) applications. Billions of internet-connected devices are capable of sensing, communicating, interacting, computing and actuating. These devices are set to become even more integrated into our daily lives and by 2022 it is estimated that around 18 billion out of 29 billion connected devices will be related to the IoT.

With millions of moving interconnected devices in the IoT environment, many applications require or benefit from knowing the location of an individual device. In this context, the latest GSA White Paper looks at how GNSS-based positioning for the IoT can be made more power-efficient, to meet the needs of this growing market.

Key findings

GNSS is a viable solution for tracking objects in the IoT world. However, the power consumed by positioning is an important concern. Two basic approaches have emerged in recent years to optimise consumption: transmission of pseudoranges for remote position determination, and snapshot techniques. In the first of these, the power consumption related to determining position is saved by transmitting the measurements to an external facility with no power restrictions while, for the second, the GNSS receiver is only activated for short periods to determine the position. 

Read this: Harnessing Galileo to shape the future of IoT

Combining both approaches will decrease the power consumption even further but, ultimately, the optimal solution will depend on the application in question. “When deciding on a GNSS-based solution for a given application, numerous factors play a role including target accuracy, selected LPWAN, desired battery life, ease of integration, and hardware and implementation cost,” according to the report.

The White Paper also advises applications that require a position accuracy of one meter or less to use a multi-constellation, multi-frequency receiver. “However, as most low-power IoT applications prioritise extending battery life, a multi-constellation single-frequency receiver is sufficient when positioning accuracy of multiple meters is acceptable,” it notes.

The report also states that, when deciding on an energy-efficient GNSS technique, the choice of the terrestrial network limits the possible options, as most solutions rely on external data to determine the position via GNSS.

A dedicated webinar 

The main findings from the White Paper will be presented at a dedicated webinar on Power-efficient positioning for the Internet of Things, to take place at 14:45 CET on 18 June. This GSA-hosted webinar will also feature input from major chipset manufacturers in the IoT domain such as STM & U-blox. 

What’s more, EU-funded R&D projects that are working to reduce the power consumption of GNSS positioning for the Internet of Things will also present their innovative solutions. These include: “Accurate GNSS POsitioning for Low power and Low-cost Objects” (APOLLO), which aims at providing a Galileo-based geolocation solution for the IoT market by drastically reducing energy consumption.

The APOLLO project noted in the White Paper that: “The ability to calculate the GNSS position of IoT objects with a very small energy footprint will pave the way for a market of tens of millions of moving objects each year.”

Also presenting at the webinar will be the GEONAV IoT project, which is working to develop and deliver precise ubiquitous positioning and navigation applications and services; and the Galileo of Things gs(GoT) project, which is targeting the delivery of a Galileo semiconductor-IP core that mates with NB-IoT IP for low-power consumption solutions. 

Interested? For more information and to register, click here.

Media note: This feature can be republished without charge provided the European GNSS Agency (GSA) is acknowledged as the source at the top or the bottom of the story. You must request permission before you use any of the photographs on the site. If you republish, we would be grateful if you could link back to the GSA website (http://www.gsa.europa.eu).

The European GNSS Agency (GSA) has published a White Paper on “Power-efficient positioning for the Internet of Things”, providing an overview of GNSS technologies that are relevant for low-power IoT applications, including those that require hybridisation with other connectivity solutions. The GSA is organising a dedicated webinar on 18 June to present the main findings from the paper. 

The world is embracing Internet of Things (IoT) applications. Billions of internet-connected devices are capable of sensing, communicating, interacting, computing and actuating. These devices are set to become even more integrated into our daily lives and by 2022 it is estimated that around 18 billion out of 29 billion connected devices will be related to the IoT.

With millions of moving interconnected devices in the IoT environment, many applications require or benefit from knowing the location of an individual device. In this context, the latest GSA White Paper looks at how GNSS-based positioning for the IoT can be made more power-efficient, to meet the needs of this growing market.

Key findings

GNSS is a viable solution for tracking objects in the IoT world. However, the power consumed by positioning is an important concern. Two basic approaches have emerged in recent years to optimise consumption: transmission of pseudoranges for remote position determination, and snapshot techniques. In the first of these, the power consumption related to determining position is saved by transmitting the measurements to an external facility with no power restrictions while, for the second, the GNSS receiver is only activated for short periods to determine the position. 

Read this: Harnessing Galileo to shape the future of IoT

Combining both approaches will decrease the power consumption even further but, ultimately, the optimal solution will depend on the application in question. “When deciding on a GNSS-based solution for a given application, numerous factors play a role including target accuracy, selected LPWAN, desired battery life, ease of integration, and hardware and implementation cost,” according to the report.

The White Paper also advises applications that require a position accuracy of one meter or less to use a multi-constellation, multi-frequency receiver. “However, as most low-power IoT applications prioritise extending battery life, a multi-constellation single-frequency receiver is sufficient when positioning accuracy of multiple meters is acceptable,” it notes.

The report also states that, when deciding on an energy-efficient GNSS technique, the choice of the terrestrial network limits the possible options, as most solutions rely on external data to determine the position via GNSS.

A dedicated webinar 

The main findings from the White Paper will be presented at a dedicated webinar on Power-efficient positioning for the Internet of Things, to take place at 15:00 CET on 18 June. This GSA-hosted webinar will also feature input from major chipset manufacturers in the IoT domain such as STM & U-blox. 

What’s more, EU-funded R&D projects that are working to reduce the power consumption of GNSS positioning for the Internet of Things will also present their innovative solutions. These include: “Accurate GNSS POsitioning for Low power and Low-cost Objects” (APOLLO), which aims at providing a Galileo-based geolocation solution for the IoT market by drastically reducing energy consumption.

The APOLLO project noted in the White Paper that: “The ability to calculate the GNSS position of IoT objects with a very small energy footprint will pave the way for a market of tens of millions of moving objects each year.”

Also presenting at the webinar will be the GEONAV IoT project, which is working to develop and deliver precise ubiquitous positioning and navigation applications and services; and the Galileo of Things gs(GoT) project, which is targeting the delivery of a Galileo semiconductor-IP core that mates with NB-IoT IP for low-power consumption solutions. 

Interested? For more information and to register, click here.

Media note: This feature can be republished without charge provided the European GNSS Agency (GSA) is acknowledged as the source at the top or the bottom of the story. You must request permission before you use any of the photographs on the site. If you republish, we would be grateful if you could link back to the GSA website (http://www.gsa.europa.eu).

With over 2 500 downloads since it was launched at the start of May, the Galileo Green Lane app is proving to be popular with drivers. Developed by the European GNSS Agency (GSA) in collaboration with the European Commission, the app is a key tool in the EU’s COVID-19 pandemic response. By easing traffic flow through the EU’s borders, the app is helping to support a fundamental EU principle - the free movement of goods and freight in the internal market.

The Galileo Green Lane app uses the positioning services of Galileo- Europe’s Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) - to monitor and facilitate the free movement of freight, making it possible to reduce waiting times at the EU’s internal land borders and facilitate the transport of goods. 

Keeping transport moving

Over the last few months, the transport sector has played a vital role in the European response to the pandemic – transporting essential goods to fight the crisis and keeping the internal market intact. The Galileo Green Lane App supports drivers and national authorities as they keep up their essential work in these difficult circumstances. The initiative builds on the so-called ‘Green Lanes’, established at land border crossing points by EU Member States following guidelines from the European Commission: On 23 March, the Commission asked all EU Member States to designate relevant border-crossing points along the Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T) as ‘Green Lane’ border crossings to minimise waiting times and keep freight moving. Via these Green Lanes, freight vehicles should be able to cross the border within a maximum of 15 minutes. 

Two-interface solution

The Galileo Green Lane app is designed to address the needs of both border control authorities and of truck drivers, through two intuitive user interfaces. For border control authorities, the app provides a real-time visualisation of the situation at border crossings along with regular updates on the traffic flow situation. For truck and passenger car drivers, the app also provides real-time border visualisation with an EU-wide map produced by real-time visibility provider Sixfold. This enables drivers to better prepare their routes, by providing advance knowledge of the waiting time at each border crossing. 

At the same time, the app provides Member States with a website where they can generate reports automatically, making it easier to comply with EU recommendations. The solution is the product of cooperation not only between EU Member States and agencies, but also with users, who provide the data that is aggregated and analysed to produce the solution. To check out the Galileo Green Lane benefits, download the app here.

A welcome initiative 

Several European Union countries have welcomed the opportunity to use “Galileo Green Lane” and the app has already been tested with the Border Police at border crossings in Hungary, the Czech Republic and Spain, with over 5 000 datasets collected. Testing is still ongoing in France and Greece.

“With the ‘Galileo Green Lane’ app, the GSA is fulfilling its mission to address economic and societal challenges by leveraging the European GNSS capabilities,” said GSA Acting Executive Director Pascal Claudel. “If more Member States get involved, more border crossings will be brought into play, which means that the benefits of EU investment in space will be more widely felt,” he said. 

A pilot has also been carried out with drivers, in collaboration with the International Road Transport Union (IRU), with over 2,500 apps downloaded. This pilot generated data from 97 of the total 187 Green Lane border crossings in 26 EU and neighbouring countries.

Coordinated support

The GSA is coordinating the Galileo Green Lane project with the support of the European Commission, in particular the Directorate-General for Mobility and Transport (DG MOVE) regarding needs linked to the Green Lanes, the Directorate-General for Defence Industry and Space (DG DEFIS), the Directorate-General for Migration and Home Affairs (DG HOME), bringing together the border authorities of the Member States, and the Joint Research Centre (JRC) with its geo-fencing technology development expertise.

Commissioner for Transport, Adina Vălean, said: “While borders were closing and lockdowns looming we opened Green Lanes, thus preventing a supply chain crisis. Member States embraced this concept and made it operational very quickly. The Galileo Green Lane app is a direct result of EU coordination in the transport sector and I encourage transport workers and operators to download and use it.”

Commissioner for Internal Market, Thierry Breton, said: “Through the Galileo Green Lane app, we demonstrate the value of space based technologies and applications to provide innovative and concrete solutions, for instance in support to the free flow of goods across the Single Market.”

Media note: This feature can be republished without charge provided the European GNSS Agency (GSA) is acknowledged as the source at the top or the bottom of the story. You must request permission before you use any of the photographs on the site. If you republish, we would be grateful if you could link back to the GSA website (http://www.gsa.europa.eu).

With over 2 500 downloads since it was launched at the start of May, the Galileo Green Lane app is proving to be popular with drivers. Developed by the European GNSS Agency (GSA) in collaboration with the European Commission, the app is a key tool in the EU’s COVID-19 pandemic response. By easing traffic flow through the EU’s borders, the app is helping to support a fundamental EU principle - the free movement of goods and freight in the internal market.

The Galileo Green Lane app uses the positioning services of Galileo- Europe’s Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) - to monitor and facilitate the free movement of freight, making it possible to reduce waiting times at the EU’s internal land borders and facilitate the transport of goods. 

Keeping transport moving

Over the last few months, the transport sector has played a vital role in the European response to the pandemic – transporting essential goods to fight the crisis and keeping the internal market intact. The Galileo Green Lane App supports drivers and national authorities as they keep up their essential work in these difficult circumstances. The initiative builds on the so-called ‘Green Lanes’, established at land border crossing points by EU Member States following guidelines from the European Commission: On 23 March, the Commission asked all EU Member States to designate relevant border-crossing points along the Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T) as ‘Green Lane’ border crossings to minimise waiting times and keep freight moving. Via these Green Lanes, freight vehicles should be able to cross the border within a maximum of 15 minutes. 

Two-interface solution

The Galileo Green Lane app is designed to address the needs of both border control authorities and of truck drivers, through two intuitive user interfaces. For border control authorities, the app provides a real-time visualisation of the situation at border crossings along with regular updates on the traffic flow situation. For truck and passenger car drivers, the app also provides real-time border visualisation with an EU-wide map produced by real-time visibility provider Sixfold. This enables drivers to better prepare their routes, by providing advance knowledge of the waiting time at each border crossing. 

At the same time, the app provides Member States with a website where they can generate reports automatically, making it easier to comply with EU recommendations. The solution is the product of cooperation not only between EU Member States and agencies, but also with users, who provide the data that is aggregated and analysed to produce the solution. To check out the Galileo Green Lane benefits, download the app here.

A welcome initiative 

Several European Union countries have welcomed the opportunity to use “Galileo Green Lane” and the app has been already been tested with the Border Police at border crossings in Hungary, the Czech Republic and Spain, with over 5 000 datasets collected. Testing is still ongoing in in France and Greece.

“With the ‘Galileo Green Lane’ app, the GSA is fulfilling its mission to address economic and societal challenges by leveraging the European GNSS capabilities,” said GSA Acting Executive Director Pascal Claudel. “If more Member States get involved, more border crossings will be brought into play, which means that the benefits of EU investment in space will be more widely felt,” he said. 

A pilot has also been carried out with drivers, in collaboration with the International Road Transport Union (IRU), with over 2,500 apps downloaded. This pilot generated data from 97 of the total 187 Green Lane border crossings in 26 EU and neighbouring countries.

Coordinated support

The GSA is coordinating the Galileo Green Lane project with the support of the European Commission, in particular the Directorate-General for Mobility and Transport (DG MOVE) regarding needs linked to the Green Lanes, the Directorate-General for Defence Industry and Space (DG DEFIS), the Directorate-General for Migration and Home Affairs (DG HOME), bringing together the border authorities of the Member States, and the Joint Research Centre (JRC) with its geo-fencing technology development expertise.

Commissioner for Transport, Adina Vălean, said: “While borders were closing and lockdowns looming we opened Green Lanes, thus preventing a supply chain crisis. Member States embraced this concept and made it operational very quickly. The Galileo Green Lane app is a direct result of EU coordination in the transport sector and I encourage transport workers and operators to download and use it.”

Commissioner for Internal Market, Thierry Breton, said: “Through the Galileo Green Lane app, we demonstrate the value of space based technologies and applications to provide innovative and concrete solutions, for instance in support to the free flow of goods across the Single Market.”

Media note: This feature can be republished without charge provided the European GNSS Agency (GSA) is acknowledged as the source at the top or the bottom of the story. You must request permission before you use any of the photographs on the site. If you republish, we would be grateful if you could link back to the GSA website (http://www.gsa.europa.eu).

With over 2 500 downloads since it was launched at the start of May, the Galileo Green Lane app is proving to be popular with drivers. Developed by the European GNSS Agency (GSA) in collaboration with the European Commission, the app is a key tool in the EU’s COVID-19 pandemic response. By easing traffic flow through the EU’s borders, the app is helping to support a fundamental EU principle - the free movement of goods and freight in the internal market.

The Galileo Green Lane app uses the positioning services of Galileo- Europe’s Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) - to monitor and facilitate the free movement of freight, making it possible to reduce waiting times at the EU’s internal land borders and facilitate the transport of goods. 

Keeping transport moving

Over the last few months, the transport sector has played a vital role in the European response to the pandemic – transporting essential goods to fight the crisis and keeping the internal market intact. The Galileo Green Lane App supports drivers and national authorities as they keep up their essential work in these difficult circumstances. The initiative builds on the so-called ‘Green Lanes’, established at land border crossing points by EU Member States following guidelines from the European Commission: On 23 March, the Commission asked all EU Member States to designate relevant border-crossing points along the Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T) as ‘Green Lane’ border crossings to minimise waiting times and keep freight moving. Via these Green Lanes, freight vehicles should be able to cross the border within a maximum of 15 minutes. 

Two-interface solution

The Galileo Green Lane app is designed to address the needs of both border control authorities and of truck drivers, through two intuitive user interfaces. For border control authorities, the app provides a real-time visualisation of the situation at border crossings along with regular updates on the traffic flow situation. For truck and passenger car drivers, the app also provides real-time border visualisation with an EU-wide map produced by real-time visibility provider Sixfold. This enables drivers to better prepare their routes, by providing advance knowledge of the waiting time at each border crossing. 

At the same time, the app provides Member States with a website where they can generate reports automatically, making it easier to comply with EU recommendations. The solution is the product of cooperation not only between EU Member States and agencies, but also with users, who provide the data that is aggregated and analysed to produce the solution. To check out the Galileo Green Lane benefits, download the app here.

A welcome initiative 

Several European Union countries have welcomed the opportunity to use “Galileo Green Lane” and the app has already been tested with the Border Police at border crossings in Hungary, the Czech Republic and Spain, with over 5 000 datasets collected. Testing is still ongoing in France and Greece.

“With the ‘Galileo Green Lane’ app, the GSA is fulfilling its mission to address economic and societal challenges by leveraging the European GNSS capabilities,” said GSA Acting Executive Director Pascal Claudel, more Member States getting involved and more border crossings brought into play, means the benefits of EU investment in space will be more widely felt.

A pilot has also been carried out with drivers, in collaboration with the International Road Transport Union (IRU), with over 2,500 apps downloaded. This pilot generated data from 97 of the total 187 Green Lane border crossings in 26 EU and neighbouring countries.

Coordinated support

The GSA is coordinating the Galileo Green Lane project with the support of the European Commission, in particular the Directorate-General for Mobility and Transport (DG MOVE) regarding needs linked to the Green Lanes, the Directorate-General for Defence Industry and Space (DG DEFIS), the Directorate-General for Migration and Home Affairs (DG HOME), bringing together the border authorities of the Member States, and the Joint Research Centre (JRC) with its geo-fencing technology development expertise.

Commissioner for Transport, Adina Vălean, said: “While borders were closing and lockdowns looming we opened Green Lanes, thus preventing a supply chain crisis. Member States embraced this concept and made it operational very quickly. The Galileo Green Lane app is a direct result of EU coordination in the transport sector and I encourage transport workers and operators to download and use it.”

Commissioner for Internal Market, Thierry Breton, said: “Through the Galileo Green Lane app, we demonstrate the value of space based technologies and applications to provide innovative and concrete solutions, for instance in support to the free flow of goods across the Single Market.”

Media note: This feature can be republished without charge provided the European GNSS Agency (GSA) is acknowledged as the source at the top or the bottom of the story. You must request permission before you use any of the photographs on the site. If you republish, we would be grateful if you could link back to the GSA website (http://www.gsa.europa.eu).

With over 2 500 downloads since it was launched at the start of May, the Galileo Green Lane app is proving to be popular with drivers. Developed by the European GNSS Agency (GSA) in collaboration with the European Commission, the app is a key tool in the EU’s COVID-19 pandemic response. By easing traffic flow through the EU’s borders, the app is helping to support a fundamental EU principle - the free movement of goods and freight in the internal market.

The Galileo Green Lane app uses the positioning services of Galileo- Europe’s Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) - to monitor and facilitate the free movement of freight, making it possible to reduce waiting times at the EU’s internal land borders and facilitate the transport of goods. 

Keeping transport moving

Over the last few months, the transport sector has played a vital role in the European response to the pandemic – transporting essential goods to fight the crisis and keeping the internal market intact. The Galileo Green Lane App supports drivers and national authorities as they keep up their essential work in these difficult circumstances. The initiative builds on the so-called ‘Green Lanes’, established at land border crossing points by EU Member States following guidelines from the European Commission: On 23 March, the Commission asked all EU Member States to designate relevant border-crossing points along the Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T) as ‘Green Lane’ border crossings to minimise waiting times and keep freight moving. Via these Green Lanes, freight vehicles should be able to cross the border within a maximum of 15 minutes. 

Two-interface solution

The Galileo Green Lane app is designed to address the needs of both border control authorities and of truck drivers, through two intuitive user interfaces. For border control authorities, the app provides a real-time visualisation of the situation at border crossings along with regular updates on the traffic flow situation. For truck and passenger car drivers, the app also provides real-time border visualisation with an EU-wide map produced by real-time visibility provider Sixfold. This enables drivers to better prepare their routes, by providing advance knowledge of the waiting time at each border crossing. 

At the same time, the app provides Member States with a website where they can generate reports automatically, making it easier to comply with EU recommendations. The solution is the product of cooperation not only between EU Member States and agencies, but also with users, who provide the data that is aggregated and analysed to produce the solution. To check out the Galileo Green Lane benefits, download the app here.

A welcome initiative 

Several European Union countries have welcomed the opportunity to use “Galileo Green Lane” and the app has already been tested with the Border Police at border crossings in Hungary, the Czech Republic and Spain, with over 5 000 datasets collected. Testing is still ongoing in France and Greece.

“With the ‘Galileo Green Lane’ app, the GSA is fulfilling its mission to address economic and societal challenges by leveraging the European GNSS capabilities,” said GSA Acting Executive Director Pascal Claudel. “If more Member States get involved, more border crossings will be brought into play, which means that the benefits of EU investment in space will be more widely felt,” he said. 

A pilot has also been carried out with drivers, in collaboration with the International Road Transport Union (IRU), with over 2,500 apps downloaded. This pilot generated data from 97 of the total 187 Green Lane border crossings in 26 EU and neighbouring countries.

Coordinated support

The GSA is coordinating the Galileo Green Lane project with the support of the European Commission, in particular the Directorate-General for Mobility and Transport (DG MOVE) regarding needs linked to the Green Lanes, the Directorate-General for Defence Industry and Space (DG DEFIS), the Directorate-General for Migration and Home Affairs (DG HOME), bringing together the border authorities of the Member States, and the Joint Research Centre (JRC) with its geo-fencing technology development expertise.

Commissioner for Transport, Adina Vălean, said: “While borders were closing and lockdowns looming we opened Green Lanes, thus preventing a supply chain crisis. Member States embraced this concept and made it operational very quickly. The Galileo Green Lane app is a direct result of EU coordination in the transport sector and I encourage transport workers and operators to download and use it.”

Commissioner for Internal Market, Thierry Breton, said: “Through the Galileo Green Lane app, we demonstrate the value of space based technologies and applications to provide innovative and concrete solutions, for instance in support to the free flow of goods across the Single Market.”

Media note: This feature can be republished without charge provided the European GNSS Agency (GSA) is acknowledged as the source at the top or the bottom of the story. You must request permission before you use any of the photographs on the site. If you republish, we would be grateful if you could link back to the GSA website (http://www.gsa.europa.eu).