German offshore wind farms asked to install radar amid safety concerns

• Authorities in Germany are asking offshore wind farms to install radar systems to improve monitoring of ships and drones. This is part of a larger effort to enhance security amid rising concerns over maritime safety in Europe.
• Officials will use the radar data to secure key transportation routes and monitor suspicious activity.
• This move follows reports of vessels suspected to be part of Russia’s “shadow fleet” operating covertly in European waters.

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Germany’s federal maritime authorities have asked offshore wind farms along the country’s northern coast to install radar systems to improve the monitoring of ships and drones in the region. The move is part of a broader effort to bolster security amid growing concerns over maritime safety in European waters.

How will offshore wind farms contribute to security?

German wind farm operators in the North Sea and the Baltic Sea have been asked to place state-of-the-art radar equipment on suitable structures to enhance surveillance capabilities. Officials responsible for securing key transportation routes will receive data collected from these systems.

Why is Germany installing radar systems on turbines?

This comes after a tanker was recently observed adrift in German waters. The European Union has identified the vessel as potentially belonging to Russia’s so-called “shadow fleet,” a network of ships allegedly used to bypass international oil sanctions.

What happens next?

Elsewhere in Europe, similar vessels have been detected operating with their navigation systems disabled or manipulating location data to evade detection by authorities. Germany aims to use the radar-equipped offshore wind turbines as a countermeasure against such activities.