Stockholm Norvik Port has a smart buoy

A buoy known as a smart buoy has been installed in the shipping fairway just outside Stockholm Norvik Port. This is an energy efficient navigation beacon with the technology to position-monitor and remotely adjust the buoy’s light intensity. The buoy is part of the EU Intelligent Sea project, which is using digitalisation to improve safety and efficiency in shipping fairways.

The green shipping fairway buoy with remote monitoring was installed outside Stockholm Norvik Port in March. The buoy is a pilot test within the framework of the EU Intelligent Sea project, which Ports of Stockholm is taking part in together with Port of Naantali and the Finnish company Meritaito. At the same time, the buoy is also part of a project to improve the remote control, safety and handling of information from buoys. This is now being tested in the real-life situation and environmental conditions prevalent in the northern part of the Baltic Sea.

“Participating in the EU Intelligent Sea project gives us the opportunity to test new marine technologies and innovations. Collaboration within the EU and new innovations are important success factors in achieving results that are better for the environment and improve the digitalisation of our port and shipping operations,” says Jonas Andersson, Nautical Coordinator at Ports of Stockholm.

More and more of the floating navigation aids in shipping fairways today are electronic. The green buoy has remote monitoring, which means that Ports of Stockholm has continuous access to information, resulting in better control and reduced maintenance requirements, as well as providing better maritime safety at Stockholm Norvik Port.

The buoy has a diameter of 80 centimetres and is 10 metres high, 3.5 metres of which can be seen above the surface of the water. It is equipped with LED lights and a battery capacity sufficient for five years of operation. A 25 metre-long cable chain and 14 tonne concrete attachment ensure that the buoy is securely anchored on the sloping sea bed.

The EU Intelligent Sea project will run from 2018 until 2021. The project is funded by an EU grant from the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) programme.