Valencia – 15.03.22. The final meeting of the HiSea project (High resolution Copernicus-Based Information Services at Sea for Ports and Aquaculture), an initiative funded by the European Commission through the Horizon 2020 Programme in which Fundación Valenciaport has participated as a partner, was held on 10 March.
The main objective of the HiSea project has been the development, testing and demonstration of information services on sea water quality, provision of atmospheric forecast data, oil spill detection, bathymetry, etc. providing high resolution data, thanks to the Copernicus software, and thus enabling better planning, performance and management of operations in the aquaculture and port sectors.
This project, which has lasted 36 months, has involved seven partners from seven countries: the Valenciaport Foundation (Spain), Deltares (Holland), Hidromod (Portugal), Agora Partners (Israel), Ascora (Germany), Argans (France) and Bantry Marine Research Station (Ireland).
The role of Fundación Valenciaport in this project has consisted mainly in the validation of the services developed from the port point of view, also organising different workshops with representatives of the sector with whom they have exchanged impressions and requirements regarding the services provided and the platform developed, allowing the participation of the end users in all the stages of the project and the corresponding adjustment of the tool to their needs.
During the final meeting, the actions developed and the achievements obtained were presented, highlighting the implementation of services aimed at both the port and aquaculture sectors based on obtaining and processing high-resolution data that have proven to be beneficial for them in optimising their operations and reducing costs, and the integration of the different services in a single platform considered by users as useful, functional and accurate.
The meeting began with the intervention of the coordinator, Deltares, who presented the objectives achieved, as well as an overview of the project. Subsequently, Mark Tanner, from Fundación Valenciaport, presented the results of the validation by port operators of the different services developed, such as those related to the control of oil spills, bathymetric services, water quality and the safety of operations related to metoceanic conditions. The work of Fundación Valenciaport has concluded with a positive evolution in the mentality of the port sector, which is more aware of the usefulness of high-resolution data, which is essential for the ports of the future.
