BSH kompakt 
11 
in its function as Germany’s central 
maritime authority. Nearly all sectors 
of maritime policy are covered by 
the BSH’s wide spectrum of tasks. 
In keeping with the goals of future 
European maritime policy, the BSH 
Is at the Intersection between marine 
research and maritime administration, 
integrating and co-ordinating formerly 
isolated aspects of the oceans and 
seas: navigation, marine environ 
mental protection, and the maritime 
industry. 
Monitoring, Investigation, and 
protection of the marine environment 
- Prediction of tides, water levels, 
and storm surges as a service 
to shipping and the coastal 
population; 
- Running of operational models, e. g. 
to forecast water levels, currents, 
and sea states; 
- Monitoring of the North and Baltic 
Seas, i. a. for nutrients, radioactivity, 
pollutant loads; 
- Operation of automated marine 
monitoring stations; 
- Development and operation 
of drift and dispersion models 
- Prosecution of environmental 
offences; 
- Identification of oil spills; 
- Development of test methods for 
and type approval of ballast water 
treatment systems; 
- Research, e. g. on the impacts of 
global climate change. 
Surveys and description of the seabed 
- Hydrographic surveys and wreck 
search In the North and Baltic Seas; 
- Issue of the official German nautical 
charts and publications for 
commercial shipping and 
recreational boating; 
- Geological Investigations and 
provision of Information about 
seabed structure and dynamics; 
- Development of a geodata 
management system In order to 
optimise use of marine geodata. 
Use and management of the oceans 
- Marine Spatial Plan for the North 
and Baltic Seas Including mapping 
of large geographical areas as a 
basis for Strategic Environmental 
Assessments; 
- Approval of offshore activities, e. g. 
wind turbines, pipelines, submarine 
cables; 
- Co-ordination of Information and 
data from the maritime Industry and 
the ecological sector. 
Safety of navigation 
- Issue of nautical and technical 
Certificates of Competency to 
mariners; 
Kadetrinne in der Ostsee 
Kadet Trench in the Baltic Sea