On 11 March 2025, the first OCEANIDS workshop took place at the Port of Antwerp, bringing together key stakeholders from public authorities, industry, academia, and the maritime sector. Organized by NEREUS and CDP with support from EARSC and Geosystems Hellas, the event focused on leveraging digital transformation, Earth observation, and climate resilience for sustainable port and coastal management.
Opening Remarks Johan Klaps, Vice-Mayor of Antwerp, highlighted the Port’s smart port transformation, including the use of digital twins and autonomous drones. Eleni Hatziyanni from DG MARE emphasized the role of maritime spatial planning and Copernicus data for sustainable growth. Roya Ayazi, NEREUS Secretary General, discussed the importance of space-enabled solutions for regional and local innovation in enhancing coastal resilience.
During the 1st panel ‘Empowering Ports Through Climate-Informed Maritime Planning and Innovation’, Óscar Bergasa López (Las Palmas Port Authority) stressed the need for climate resilience strategies. Joeri Vandeperre (Port of Antwerp-Bruges) highlighted how digitalization and AI are transforming ports into innovation hubs. Jesus Pena Martin (Puertos del Estado), alongside Piotr Krasnicki (ESPO), reinforced the importance of aligning policy frameworks with operational realities, ensuring that regulatory measures are not only comprehensive but also adaptable to local conditions. Their insights reflected a growing demand for user-driven, evidence-based tools that empower decision-makers across Europe’s port network. Muriel Lux (Mercator Ocean International) discussed the importance of ocean intelligence in supporting sustainable maritime planning.
In the 2nd panel ‘Industry & Academia Perspectives: Driving Innovation for Sustainable Coastal Communities’ moderated by Afroditi Mathioudaki (CDP) and Leon Wiesner (EARSC), insights were shared by Pascal Schichor (European Space Imaging) and Antoine Masse (IGN FI) on Earth observation, and Samuel Fonseca (Grupo Cotesa) and Pau Gusch (SeaBots) on maritime robotics. Cory Fletcher (University of Antwerp) called for stronger collaboration between academia, industry, and policymakers.
The OCEANIDS Advisory Board, moderated by Margarita Chrysaki (NEREUS), provided valuable feedback on the project’s tools and methodologies. For example, Dr. Sagi Dalyot (TECHNION) discussed integrating local knowledge into AI-driven solutions, while François Soulat (CNES) stressed continuous innovation in Earth observation technologies.
The workshop emphasized the importance of collaboration and technology in building resilient, sustainable port ecosystems for the future.
You can find full moments from the event here: https://we.tl/t-U6xkVC8lRv and other material here (link).
