The Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries of the Republic of Korea (MOF) hosts the Secretariat for Maritime Connectivity Platform (MCP) Consortium, and the Secretariat officially started operation on 30th March 2021.

Maritime Connectivity Platform is a communication framework enabling seamless exchange of maritime digital information among global stakeholders, including ships, shipping companies, ports, and e-Navigation services centers, maritime logistics and safety management agencies such as VTS.

* MOF has initiated e-Navigation services based on the MCP platform since last January. The service includes nautical charts, optimal route, weather, navigation safety information, ports entry and departure

* The Navalink consortium(Wärtsilä, SAAB, Kongsberg) established an operational MCP platform in 2020, and Fintraffic of Finland is in the process of establishing an operational MCP.

The MCP Consortium was established by an arrangement signed by three governmental organizations and five research institutes from five countries, Korea, Sweden, Denmark, Germany, and UK in February 2019.

In total 29 organizations from 14 countries have joined the MCC up to now, March 2021.

The Secretariat is to manage and support convening General Assembly, Board, Advisory Board, and Working Groups. It is also responsible for managing technical standards on the MCP, and operating the MCC website* under the supervision of Secretary-General, Mr. Thomas Christensen, who is a former official at Danish Maritime Authority(DMA)

* https://maritimeconnectivity.net

“Growing impact of digital platforms around the world is expected to bring about increasing demands for the information-sharing platform which connects different digital technologies and maritime information services,” said Mr. Jongwoo Hwang, the Director-General of the Maritime Affairs and Safety Policy Bureau of MOF. “By establishing the secretariat, the MCP is given a significant boost, and thereby also a boost to the general maritime digitalisation process including everything from simple sharing of route information to advanced services supporting autonomous vessels” said Mr. Thomas Christensen.

□ MCC Organisation

□ MCC Membership (29 Organisations from 14 Countries as of March 21)

In addition to the above, the international organisations, IHO, IALA and CIRM are attending the advisory board of the consortium.