Satellite Imagery Reveals Maritime Traffic and Key Infrastructure in Øresund Strait

A recent image captured by the Copernicus Sentinel-1 mission provides a detailed look at maritime traffic traversing the Øresund Strait, one of the world’s most navigated waterways. Stretching 118 kilometers, the Øresund Strait connects Denmark and Sweden, linking the Baltic Sea to the North Sea. This strategic waterway was monitored throughout 2025, with the satellite collecting over 50 radar images of the same region every six days, compiling them into a single composite image.

The Sentinel-1 satellites use advanced radar equipment that enables them to generate clarity in observing Earth’s surface, regardless of weather conditions or time of day. This capability is particularly useful for tracking ship movements. In the image, discernible ships are depicted as bright dots against the dark waters of the strait, with their routes illuminated by areas of concentrated marine traffic. Prominent shipping zones are identified near the ports of Copenhagen and Malmö, where vessels tend to cluster in designated waiting areas, increasing the likelihood of being detected by the radar over multiple observations.

Copenhagen, located centrally on the eastern side of Zealand and Amager islands, is highlighted in the imagery with its airport taking shape as a cross-like structure near the coast. An artificial island named Peberholm, part of the Øresund Bridge—a combined bridge and tunnel linking Copenhagen to Malmö—appears prominently in front of the airport. The bridge itself is indicated as a slender white line extending across the strait, with the Drogden underwater tunnel situated on the Danish side providing further connectivity.

Intriguingly, the radar data also reveals offshore wind farms within the vicinity. The geometric pattern of dots south of the bridge represents the Lillgrund Wind Farm, the largest offshore project of its kind in Sweden. Additionally, off the coast of Copenhagen, the Middelgrunden offshore wind farm is depicted as a linear array of 20 turbines, forming a stunning 3.4-kilometer string of bright spots in the otherwise dark waters of the Øresund Strait. This satellite imagery not only underscores the intense maritime activity in the region but also highlights key infrastructure developments that support renewable energy initiatives.