Overview
The R&D of Finnish Maritime Administration focuses on research on waterborne transport operating environment, development of waterborne transport, development of services and service production of the administration and development of the administration as a whole.
The R&D activities consist of strategic projects, strategic themes and other development projects.
Since 1 January 2010, the Finnish Maritime Administration has merged into the Finnish Transport Agency.
The Finnish Maritime Administration's R & D focuses on five priority areas:
- Development of the waterway network as part of the Finnish traffic logistics system
- Processes and product development
- Safety and the environment
- The operating environment of shipping and the promotion of waterborne traffic
- Utilisation of the new opportunities provided by ICT.
The key areas of the R&D activities include both project entities and strategic themes when the R&D activity cannot be referred as a single project. The 'development of information management' is a strategic project supporting all priority areas and to support the goals of the priority areas 2 and 4, 'safety of ships and navigation' and the 'telematics of shipping' are referred to as strategic themes.
The starting point for the R&D strategy in the Finnish Maritime Administration is the implementation of the administration's vision and strategy. The yearly R&D programme prioritises the focal areas and strategic projects based on the vision and strategy. The board of the administration decides upon the financing frame, emphasis of the R&D activities and strategic projects and themes.
The R&D Programme is co-ordinated by a selected programme co-ordinator. Strategic projects have managers and strategic themes 'team responsibles' who make the project plans and sketch the theme programmes.
Funding
The annual level for the financing of the Administration's R&D activities is EUR 2 million. The strategic projects chosen by the management are given priority. For other research and development projects, funds are allocated out of a joint financial frame on the basis of project proposals.