Projects

Billions of cubic metres are dredged every year to keep ports and rivers accessible. This material is usually considered a worthless waste product, but it can potentially play a role in the restoration of our eroded tidal zones and help improve our local ecosystem services. Bankbusters explores these aspects in detail.

The shipping industry is highly diverse and encompasses the carriage of goods by sea, along the coast and by inland waterways. A great deal of research is conducted into energy carriers and powertrains to make vessels more environmentally friendly. In this context, the CHyPS project has recently been launched.

FResCo develops new, non-toxic and bio-based additives for coatings to prevent biofouling in onshore and offshore applications. By introducing various high-quality bio-based coatings, the project supports businesses in making their products more sustainable.

Marine ecosystems deliver numerous benefits to society. They are key to integrated and sustainable marine development. WABESCO will develop a universal, adaptable and relevant evaluation tool for all actors and projects working towards sustainable blue growth.

Plastic in the ocean is a major problem as plastic degrades poorly. It is therefore essential to prevent any more plastic from ending up in our rivers and sea. PLUXIN investigates how much plastic is present in our rivers and oceans, where exactly it can be found and when it gets there.

Several European partners work together in the project ‘Emerging ecosystem-based Maritime Spatial Planning topics in North and Baltic Seas Region’ to develop a European vision for maritime spatial planning. The focus is especially on a sustainable blue economy.

Within the context of a circular economy, companies are increasingly looking for valuable applications for biomass. It is important that we are able to efficiently separate the different components of biomass. The EffSep project is strongly focused on this.

The impact of human activities at sea is currently often very unclear. In order to address this knowledge gap, the SUMES project aims to develop an extensive model that measures the local, regional and global impact of such activities. This will help companies to work at sea in a more sustainable manner.

Offshore wind turbines are constantly exposed to extreme weather conditions. The industry is therefore constantly looking for ways to extend the service life of offshore wind turbines. The RAINBOW project specifically focuses on improved rotor blade durability.

Oil spills can have a serious impact on the environment. In any case, it is crucial to detect leaks as quickly as possible. Within the DIOS project, drones will be deployed to spontaneously detect oil spills in harbours and automatically determine the seriousness of these spills.

In the future, we risk running into problems integrating renewable energy into the power grid. Especially because production during peak hours may be an obstacle. The H2-MHYTIC project explores the pioneering technology to convert electrical energy into hydrogen in detail.