Foreign and Greek companies are reportedly showing a keen interest in the project to develop a 60-million-euro maritime surveillance system.
The project – named the National Integrated Maritime Surveillance System (ESOST) – will include drones flying over Greek seas, the installation of low-light and thermal radiation cameras, as well as satellite monitoring services.
The system will be deployed in the areas of defense, customs, border control, maritime safety and law enforcement, and will also help monitor fisheries, protect the marine environment and facilitate rapid responses to pollution.
ESOST will facilitate the exchange of information and data between authorities dealing with or actively participating in maritime surveillance.
This exchange of data will improve surveillance and make it more cost-effective.
And with calls getting louder for increased cooperation between EU states – given the immigration crisis and smuggling in the Mediterranean – the European Commission and EU/EEA members are jointly developing a Common Information Sharing Environment (CISE), integrating existing surveillance systems and networks.