BASEMAPS workshop

Back-to-back with the 14th meeting of the Baltic Sea Region MSP Data Expert Sub-group (BSR MSP Data ESG) a workshop dedicated to the BASEMAPS data portal was organised online on 16 September 2020. Workshop was organised within the activities of the project platform Capacity4MSP. 16 participants from 7 HELCOM Contracting Parties as well as from the HELCOM and VASAB Secretariats attended the workshop.

BASEMAPS is a map service to access Baltic Sea maritime spatial planning (MSP) relevant data from the original source where it is stored. BASEMAPS allows users to view and download data/metadata published by national data providers through OGC open geospatial standards – WMS and WFS. It is aimed for planners, data providers and authorities dealing with MSP in the Baltic Sea.

The aim of the workshop was to support the participants of the BSR MSP Data ESG to add relevant MSP input data services that are available from national data providers in BASEMAPS. Workshop helped to identify the further development needs of the admin panel. This information is important to increase the user-friendliness of BASEMAPS and to make sure that it contains updated content.

The core of the workshop was to have an online ‘help desk’ session during which the participants could add WMS and WFS to BASEMAPS using the admin panel. It was requested prior to the workshop to prepare such available services. Participants from Denmark, Germany and Sweden took part in this exercise with the help of the HELCOM Secretariat.

This ‘help desk’ session was relevant to the participants and organisers. It collected feedback from users (participants) for further developments e.g. what functions to improve, how to better structure data and other important information that will help to create BASEMAPS even more user-friendly. The need was expressed to repeat this session also in future.

An animation to explain and promote Basemaps is available on Youtube. Thanks to the Capacity4MSP Project Platform, detailed instructions are now publicly available:

More information about the 14th meeting of the Baltic Sea Region MSP Data Expert Sub-group (BSR MSP Data ESG) is HERE.