The waterways between western and eastern Europe are a highly important routes of transportation. Amongst other things the national states are responsible for the waterway administration with respect to logistics and security. Since several years information systems are used to provide so called River Information Services (RIS). This RIS are mainly used for traffic management and for the distribution of fairway information.
In this pilot study the potential of a transnational coupled RIS as support tools for vessel inspections by the police will be evaluated. By making use of an interstate information platform the rate of multi-inspection of vessels can be lowered which should help to reach two main objectives:
- increase in efficiency of vessel inspections
- reduction of the impact of vessel inspections on the carriers
The partners in the research consortium are the Department of Engineering and Business Informatics (MBI) at the Graz University of Technology, the via donau – Österreichische Wasserstraßen-Gesellschaft mbH, the Federal Ministry of Interior and the Austrian Center for Law Enforcement Sciences (ALES) at the University of Vienna.
In consideration of the progress that is made in European integration the potential of using of the Austrian Danube River Information Services (DoRIS) for public safety related activities should be analyzed and evaluated. Especially the possibilities of transnational coupling of DoRIS with the systems used in other riparian states of the Danube River should be addressed.
The analysis and evaluation of the potential of a transnational coupled RIS will cover the following aspects:
- organizational structure of stakeholders
- processes and levers
- communication and information
- data security and data protection
- legal aspects
In the analysis phase a systematic and standardized process including the evaluation of the present situation, the requirements specifications and the potential for improvements based on levers will be followed. In addition it is planned to validate the most important levers with Proof of Concepts.
This pilot study should lay the ground for future projects such as from Federal Ministry of Interior (Fonds für die innere Sicherheit [ISF], Asyl- Migrations- und Integrationsfonds [AMF]) or the Horizon 2020 Program. It is also intended to use the results of that study in the context with the EU Strategy for the Danube Region (PA 11: Security).
In addition to that it is expected to gain quick wins out of that study - improvements on the operational level that can be realized and implemented with little or none additional expenditure or effort from the involved authorities. Here the Austrian Federal Ministry of Interior will initiate the corresponding transnational activities and act as the coordinator amongst the involved stakeholders.
Project partner
- Universität Wien, Rechtswissenschaftliche Fakultät, Austrian Center for Law Enforcement Sciences
- Bundesministerium für Inneres, Abteilung II/2 Einsatzangelegenheiten
- via donau – Österreichische Wasserstraßen-Gesellschaft mbH
Contact
Dipl.-Ing. Dr. Wolfgang Vorraber
Technische Universität Graz
Kopernikusgasse 24,
8010 Graz
Tel: +43 (0) 316 873 8004
Fax: +43 (0) 316 873 8009
e-mail: wolfgang.vorraber@tugraz.at
