08/08/2025
🔍 GPS Accuracy, Signal Security, and Resilience: EMPA’s Ongoing Commitment
In recent months, European Maritime Pilots' Association (EMPA) has been increasingly focused on satellite positioning accuracy and the challenges posed by jamming and spoofing, topics already discussed during our General Meetings.
This week, Chairman of t&t committee Cpt. Jose A. Pérez together with President of Association of Marine Pilots Ireland AMPI - Cpt. Patrick Galvin, took part in an online meeting with the managers of the EGNOS system – the European satellite-based augmentation service that enhances the accuracy and reliability of GPS and Galileo, currently operated by the EUSPA - EU Agency for the Space Programme.
📡 EGNOS monitors and corrects GNSS signal errors in real time, delivering improved precision and integrity — crucial for safety-critical applications such as aviation and maritime navigation.
During the meeting, has stressed the importance for maritime pilots of having continuous, accurate, and reliable signals for equipment such as Portable Pilot Units (PPUs).
The exchange was mainly informative, as EGNOS aimed to better understand our operational requirements, opening the door to future collaboration and potential technical contributions to our upcoming events or General Meetings.
💡 Gaining insight into “what happens behind the scenes” of positioning systems — directly from those who develop and operate them — is an important step in strengthening technical awareness and ensuring the safety and quality of pilotage services.
