MarTERA ARIM Havforskningsinstituttet/Metas.

Informations

Funding country

Norway

Acronym

-

URL

-

Start date

1/1/2018

End date

12/31/2021

Budget

817,312 EUR

Fundings

Abstract

Marine monitoring with traditional vessel-based methods is expensive and therefore limits the data accumulation in time and space. Aim of the project was to establish an autonomous bottom-based system for continuous monitoring of the bottom and pelagic habitats. Biodiversity in the bottom fauna is monitored by a crawler through photographic techniques including autonomous species recognition and characterization. The crawler can cover long trips. The water column is depicted acoustically and analyzed and defined by acoustic characterization methods. Our system represents a quantum leap in autonomous monitoring method because it combines a unique time-space coverage. The homing plattform technology has been developed in Norway through collaboration between the Institute of Marine Research, Metas and Equinor. In Germany, Geomar, iSeaMC and Kraken RobotiK have developed the crawler with robust properties for deep water operations. The partners adapted the crawler to the purpose of the project and to integrate in the Norwegian platform system for a product that will be of major importance for the monitoring of human impact on the ocean from industry (i.e. oil and gass, aquaculture, mining on the seabed). The automated analytical systems developed by Deusto Sistemas in Spain enabled that processed data can be presented in near real time to the user. The project aimed for two versions of the system, one cable (energy and power) based version for continious transfer and access of data and one fuel cell powered autonomous system that stores data aboard. The ambition was to present a system that can fill the monitoring needs as described in EU directives and in national regulations for monitoring and management of the oceans. The product will raise worldwide interest as requirements are the similar in most industry countries. The consortium cooperation will extend beyond the project period, especially between the industrial partners. They will be interested in completing the commercial product for marketing and sales. Due to the pandemi situation in Europe the final testing of the combined system was not possible and will be conducted in the ongoing collaboration of the consortium