Maritime Connectivity Platform

The Maritime Connectivity Platform (MCP) is a framework that enables efficient, secure, reliable and seamless electronic information exchange between all authorized maritime actors across available communication systems. The MCP was created to allow maritime actors to use digital services and to exchange public and private information on a common basis. Potential commercial and non-commercial institutions can become part of the global MCP framework by using their own installations of the MCP. The MCP brings common Internet standards to maritime navigation and transport systems by applying open and vendor-neutral technologies. It consists of three open-source core components.

The Identity Registry

For secure and reliable information exchange, the Identity Registry supports secure logon and use of all services using identity information provided by trusted parties. It facilitates confidentiality, integrity and authenticity when exchanging information between user groups and between computers, and leverages existing standards such as MRN, OpenID Connect and X.509 certificates.

The Service Registry

The Service Registry is used to register, discover and obtain relevant e-Navigation and e-Maritime services. The Service Registry can be regarded as the “Yellow Pages”, as it can be searched according to various criteria, including the coverage area.

The Maritime Messaging Service

The Maritime Messaging Service (MMS) exists to enable authorized maritime actors to send and receive messages efficiently, reliably and seamlessly within the MCP, and to solve problems of the current wireless maritime data communication system.

MCP Consortium

The MCP is managed by the MCP Consortium (MCC) which was founded on 8 February 2019 by the following non-profit organizations:

• OFFIS, Germany
• Korea Research Institute of Ships & Ocean Engineering (KRISO), Republic of Korea
• Research Institutes of Sweden (RISE), Sweden
• University of Kopenhagen, Denmark
• General Lighthouse Authorities, UK and Ireland

Governmental Observers of the Consortium are:

• The Danish Maritime Authority
• Swedish Maritime Administration
• Ministry of Ocean and Fisheries of the Republic of Korea.

OFFIS actively participates in the development of the Maritime Connectivity Platform in order to create a platform in the maritime sector, which realizes a secure identification of the participants among themselves and at the same time promotes the dissemination of maritime services.