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European Reference Tool (ERDMS)

Services > European Reference Tool (ERDMS)

RIS Reference Data represent the basic element of all RIS applications. They include data of the entire inland waterway network, for instance the location of locks, bridges and ports. These data are generated by national authorities. Skippers need the data in RIS applications. Therefore, the data needs to be consolidated and maintained on a structural basis, in order to avoid the use of different data versions in onboard applications.

In cooperation with national authorities, PLATINA defined data management procedures and implemented a reference management tool (also called European Reference Data Management Service - ERDMS). This facilitates the harmonised generation of Reference Data. Application manufacturers and RIS users can download this data from one central point.

The aim of the ERDMS is to enable the management and publication of the RIS data Codes and Reference tables (sub sets). The codes maintained by the RIS Data Management Service (ERDMS) relate to:
  • RIS index: describing several RIS objects on waterways (such as junctions, locks, bridges, berths, gauges etc).
  • ADN codes: as specified in 2008/68/EC 
  • HS codes: Harmonised System codes from the Customs organisation (non-dangerous goods).
  • ERI Locations: (also known as SRS codes) as used in ERI, electronic reporting using the ERINOT 1.2 message. At the moment these codes have an overlap with the RIS index, but this ERI location set also includes all the international locations outside of Europe.
  • Container Types: to identify the type of container (ISO 6364).
  • Country codes: the several country codes for all the countries (ISO 3166).
  • Inner Package type: (UN Rec 21).
  • Shiptype: to describe the type of transport (UN Rec 28).
  • Notices to Skippers codes.

Schematically, the context of the RIS Data Management Service is specified in the following figure (as seen from the “RIS Data Admin Focal Point” on the left and with the Users on the right side):
RIS Data Management Service context

By means of a GUI, users (1) can log in after which mutations (new records or modification) can be specified and requested manually and also information (actual data) can be retrieved. Accessing the data and specifying mutations is also possible via external systems (2) and software, using the Web services (API) functions as described in this document of the RIS Data Management Service.

Keeping the ERDMS on-line relates not only to data management and providing a helpdesk, but also system applicability, i.e. the maintenance of the system (technical and functional), including:
  • Hosting, netwerk and maintenance
  • Operational / Maintenance application
  • Interfaces assistance (technical) and connectivity to international partners (connected countries, and new countries)
  • Application usage (interfaces and GUI), assistance (functioneel), improvement of interfaces and usage of the applications (specifications, instructions, improvements)
These activities are executed by the NL/Rijkswaterstaat. For the usage of and information on the system the following documents have been produced: The liability issues are included in the maintenance procedures. The various participating countries are responsible for the validity of pown country codes (RIS Index). Relating the other codes the firts line of contact is the EU datamanager.

State-of-play
The ERDMS has been built and is in the process to serve as focal point and as reference to the national administrations. In the process of developing the ERDMS, national administrations can further connect and input into the ERDMS. The further development will be based on feedback given on the developed system by the various participants of the IRIS Europe II. End November the fllowing connections have been established:
  • Netherlands - connections via webservice is implemented and connected to Test ERDMS (internally tested and few fixes in EU ERDMS are required).
  • Slovakia has connected to the Test EU ERDMS and can start production
  • Austria and Hungary make use of the GUI, which allows them to upload some information to the ERDMS through an Excel datasheet. These countries stiill have to start production and maintain their national data.
Countries connected to the ERDMS and producing their national data into the system are responsible for keeping these data up-to-date. PLATINA will operate the ERDMS until till May 2012.

History
In November 2009, PLATINA presented its report on decision cases for RIS Reference Data to the Expert Groups, asking them for their input. The goal of the ongoing discussion with the Expert Groups was to reach common agreement on roles and responsibilities in the retrieval and maintenance of RIS reference data and implementation. In the report, it is indicated that several inconsistencies exist between the standards and the RIS data/index and the RIS-index in practically.

In February 2010, PLATINA hosted a meeting with the Expert Groups and Member States on their reactions to the Decision Cases for RIS Reference Data and to define a common action plan. As an outcome of this activity research has been undertaken, i.e. reports written on
maintenance procedures and functional and technical specification for a European Reference Data Management Service (ERDMS).

 In 2010, the result of the PLATINA activities relating ERDMS is a number of documents (see column on the right), i.e.:
  1. Compliance Observation Record (COR) of the RIS Data Management Service API specification V2.0 - 12 July 2010
  2. Consolidation of the RIS Index and Reference data - Final report – 22 August 2010
  3. Maintenance procedures reference data and RIS Index, Annex 3 to the report “consolidation of the RIS index and reference data” - 22 August 2010
  4. Functional specification Reference Data Management tool data Annex 4 to the report “consolidation of the RIS Index and Reference data” - 6 September 2010
  5. RIS Data Management Service XSD description - 6 September 2010
  6. RefTool_WS_WSD - 29 October 2010
  7. RIS Data Management Service API Service – This document describes the webservice (API) Interface functions of the so called RIS Data Management Service – 7 December 2010

These documents have been discussed within the various RIS expert groups and other experts on this topic, i.e. to provide input to further develop:
  • the basic conditions for the construction of a European Data Reference tool, as well as
  • the development of national reference tools to interconnect with the European Service.
The documents constitute the basis for implementation of ERDMS in European. Synergy in the execution of the work has been established, especially with IRIS Europe II. Till the end of 2011, the execution of the ERDMS was monitored and executed in close co-operation with the IRIS Europe II project. The first half of 2012, the ERDMS will be maintained by the PLATINA project.

A list of available documents:
 
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