Challenge 7:
Sustainably expand the global ocean observing system

Ensure a sustainable ocean observing system across all ocean basins that delivers accessible, timely, and actionable data and information to all users.

The Bay of Bothnia, at the border of Sweden and Finland, features low salinity waters and gently sloping shorelines. Its shallow sea freezes every winter for up to six months, especially in the northernmost areas. Advanced ice mapping services based on the COSMO-SkyMed satellite constellation, integrated with multi-source data, can enable worldwide Meteorological Institutes to track ice drifts and speeds, ice extent and health status. This supports safer and more responsible navigation in frozen waters, especially around areas with several harbours for cargo traffic and multiple routes, such as the Bothnian Bay, ensuring both environmental protection and maritime safety.