PORTS4ALL

Restoration of marine ecosystems of port infrastructures

PORTS4ALL is an industrial research project that aims to offer a comprehensive multi-technological solution to transform grey infrastructures (ports, offshore wind farms…) into blue infrastructures (marine oasis).

This transformation will be achieved through the restoration of degraded and polluted spaces, the recovery of lost biodiversity and the proposition of adaptation and mitigation strategies to tackle the effects of climate change.

To achieve this main goal, the technological members of the consortium combine research in four different areas:

• Research and evaluation of new techniques and technologies for the generation and design of CaCO₃ structures.
• Development of Autonomous Systems (USV) for the collection and visualisation of marine and water quality data.
• Development of Machine Learning (ML) tools and Artificial Intelligence (AI) for the prediction of the quantity and quality the Combined Sewer Overflows (CSO).
• Research and development of a virtual sensor system that allows the monitoring of marine biodiversity (biodiversity growth, oxygen generation and carbon sequestration) through key indicators to be identified throughout the project.

The blue economy, which recognises the importance of the seas and oceans as engines of the economy, has a central role to face the multiple demands on the land resources of the European Union and its implication in curbing the negative impacts caused by climate change.

In this sense, the construction and operation of port infrastructures (industrial, commercial, tourist, military, recreational ports, etc.) represent a high impact on the environment.

Eurecat is participating in the project through its Applied Artificial Intelligence (AAI) Unit, which will focus on the application of virtual sensors and Artificial Intelligence for monitoring marine biodiversity and the detection of potentially negative events for the marine environment.

In addition to Eurecat, the PORTS4ALL consortium is made up of Adasa Systems, GPA Seabots, Seastainable Ventures and the Catalan Water Partnership.