KVARCO - Smart Marine Monitoring for Sustainable Mobility in the Gulf of Bothnia Region

Maritime transport in the Gulf of Bothnia faces a dual challenge: navigating harsh winter conditions with complex sea ice dynamics and meeting urgent decarbonisation targets. While environmental and vessel data exist, they remain fragmented. Ferry operators lack integrated tools to quantify how specific ice conditions impact energy consumption, while local logistics SMEs struggle to accurately calculate and report the carbon footprint of their cross-border shipments due to a lack of transparent data. Building on the KvarkenData Project carried out by the University of Vaasa, this project moves from feasibility to operational impact. We will develop smart marine monitoring solutions using AI models based on ship-mounted webcam imagery to classify ice types (e.g., ridges vs. level ice) and detect environmental anomalies (e.g. Harmful Algae Blooms) in real-time. This "visual intelligence" (WP2) serves as the foundation for the project's core innovation.  The project introduces a unique "Science-to-Business" approach (WP3). First, it develops rigorous data-driven models to investigate the relationship between vessel operational choices, ice conditions, and energy consumption. Second, it translates these scientific models into a user-friendly "SME Emission Dashboard." This tool allows logistics companies to visualize the effect of ice on emissions and access to automated CO2 reporting compatible with customer demands.  By enabling data-driven emission reporting, the project supports cross-border logistics companies in both Finland and Sweden with reliable information for planning, communication, and environmental compliance. The result will be demonstrated in a pilot that helps reduce the CO2 emissions in the Vaasa-Umeå corridor, improved climate resilience for port operations, and a transferrable digital model for sustainable winter navigation in the other routes on the Baltic Sea.