European Space Imaging has been awarded its third major contract for the provision of very high resolution optical satellite data to the European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA), ranking number one among a strong field of European competitors to provide all data sets and strengthening their position as Europe’s leading provider of very high resolution satellite optical imagery.
EMSA includes optical satellite images as part of its maritime surveillance services to the European Commission and Member States to support a number of functions in the maritime domain, such as safety, security, environmental monitoring, and law enforcement.
The €20 million, four year service level agreement, signed in September 2018, was won by European Space Imaging in cooperation with their partners the German Aerospace Centre (DLR), DigitalGlobe, a Maxar company, ImageSat International and Deimos Imaging.
The tender requirements were very stringent and demanded that suppliers have the capacity to deliver newly acquired images and subsequent value-added services such as vessel detection or oil spill notification in quasi- or near-real-time.
To fulfill EMSA’s imaging requirements, European Space Imaging’s offering draws upon a total of seven very high resolution satellites, including DigitalGlobe’s leading constellation of GeoEye-1, WorldView-1, WorldView-2, WorldView-3 and WorldView-4; Imagesat International’s EROS-B; and Deimos Imaging’s Deimos-2.
“Our efficient operations enable us to support European organisations providing ongoing imagery and services to member states,” said Adrian Zevenbergen, Managing Director of European Space Imaging. “I want to thank our team of professionals and our dedicated partners for their great achievement in offering the most competitive near-real-time image delivery services. We are continually expanding our capacities to ensure we offer the best quality and highest resolution satellite imagery commercially available.”
European Space Imaging is the only satellite imagery provider to offer true 30 cm resolution satellite data in Europe, and has a proven track record offering imagery and value-added services such as vessel and pollution detection to the maritime sector.
“The resolution and rapid revisit available from the latest very high resolution satellites mean that optical satellite imagery is a viable resource for the maritime sector, helping to enhance maritime domain awareness,” said Dr. Melanie Rankl, Maritime Account and Project Manager at European Space Imaging. “A combination of local satellite tasking and post processing carried out by the DLR allows us to provide a unique, near real-time service to EMSA and the European member states it serves.”
