The general objective of the STEAM (Sea Traffic management in the EAstern Mediterranean) project is the efficient management of sea traffic in the Eastern Mediterranean sea, while at the same time ensuring safety and environmental sustainability. More specifically, STEAM aims to develop the Port of Limassol to become a world-class transshipment and information hub by adopting modern digital technologies, and a driver for short sea shipping in the Eastern Mediterranean through enhanced services based on standardized ship and port connectivity.
Towards this end, the ports of Cyprus, and especially the Port of Limassol will have a vital role to play due to its strategic location, as an information hub, exchanging information with both nearby ports and ships in the Eastern Mediterranean area for optimizing the ships’ routes, expanding the planning horizon for port operations, and avoiding possible dangers. The geographical location of Cyprus encourages the use of Cyprus ports as transshipment hubs for short sea shipping.
The STEAM will:
- Extend the Port Collaborative Decision Making Platform (Port CDM) to enable real-time situation awareness to all participants involved in maritime activities in the ports of Cyprus for the purpose of increasing operational efficiency within and around the ports.
- Establish the Limassol Shore Center (LCS) to act as a communication hub in the Eastern Mediterranean region and provide various services to ships in order to optimize sea traffic navigation in the region.
- Incorporate new technological solutions for providing real-time information related to ship movements, the environment, and the tracking of cargo.
- Provide advanced data analytics services to maritime stakeholders
- Organize living labs bringing together the expertise of all relevant maritime stakeholders for driving the various project activities and evaluating the final outcomes of the project.