Innovative Solutions for Maritime Challenges – European Programmes Projects

“Cooperation” of the 7th Framework programme for Research and Development

The Food Intelligence (FINISH) Consortium has decided to provide a financial contibution for the implementation of the project, called Fish Direct Purchase & Traceability (FerTility).

The FerTility platform provides reliable solutions to the fish producers so as the current isolation between them and the consumers, and the difficulty to approach each other will no longer exist. The consumer has now the ability to select fish from an aquafarm or a supplier (fisherman) of his choice, while there will also be selections regarding the form of the fish. Freshness and traceability will be ensured through special temperature sensors that will be placed in the pack of the fish and will communicate data concerning the traceability of the fish (the ability to fully trace the fish from the point of sale back to the place of origin).
(Client: Institut für angewandte Systemtechnik Bremen GmbH / Accelerator Finish, UPCOM Ltd)

Network of Maritime Training Academies and Institutes in the Mediterranean Sea Basin

The European Commission has appointed ECORYS Nederland BV (in consortium with MRAG Ltd and s.pro GmbH) to conduct a study which focuses on a possible network of maritime training Academies and Institutes in the Mediterranean sea basin. The study aims at providing policy makers with an assessment of the feasibility, added value and available options of the launch/enforcement of a network between organizations. This network will be available for the education and the training in relation to the marine and maritime economic sectors. As a result, these sectors will benefit from the above mentioned cooperation in terms of enhancing the competitiveness of the blue economy and the enforcement of the skills and employability.
In that respect, NAYS which is subcontracted by MRAG, provided an integrated overview of the Institutes and the Organizations which are eligible for the education and the awareness related to the marine and maritime professions. The project covers the area of Eastern Mediterranean (Cyprus, Greece, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Palestine, Turkey).
NAYS has organized two focus groups in Larnaca and Athens with participants from EU and non-EU Countries.
(Client: EASME / EC DG Maritime Affairs and Fisheries / Ecorys, MRAG)

Innovative blockchain traceability technology and Stakeholders’ Engagement strAtegy for boosting Sustainable sEafood visibility, social acceptance and consumption in Europe (SEA2SEE) – HORIZON Innovation Action

The Sea2See project is being funded by the European Research Executive Agency (REA – Granting authority), delegated by the European Commission, just started.

Current seafood traceability tools and services have the potential to take advantage of novel blockchain technologies to obtain a wide range of data making sustainable seafood practices more visible to consumers. Sea2See project will fill in existing seafood traceability gaps through development of an innovative end-to-end blockchain model and professional and consumer applications to increase trust and social acceptance of sustainably fished and farmed seafood. The project will provide technological solutions to answer the need of a valuable source of data collected throughout the whole seafood value chain, verified and covering inputs from diverse stakeholders. For that purpose, a specific focus will be put on active commitment of stakeholders and real empowerment of consumers through the implementation of societal and sectoral strategies for co-creation, communication and awareness raising.

Sea2See’ main goal is to significantly increase consumer trust and acceptance of sustainably fished or farmed seafood in Europe through the 1) development and demonstration of an innovative end-to-end blockchain traceability model throughout the seafood value chain (through the deployment of blockchain traceability approach in 5 pilot sites, in Spain, Greece and Portugal, on fishery and aquaculture value chains) and 2) implementation of societal and sectoral strategies for co-creation, communication and awareness raising of the benefits of sustainably fished or farmed nutritious seafood.

Sea2See brings together a unique and interdisciplinary consortium, that combines a wide range of scientific disciplines, including aquaculture, fisheries, social sciences, and technological partners in the field of block chain, digital management cloud platforms, AI modelling experts, LCA experts, including also scientists with expertise in behavioral modelling. The Sea2See Consortium consists of participants from Spain (SmartWater, SUBMON, ASOCIACION NACIONAL DE FABRICANTES SE CONSERVAS DE PESCADOS Y MARISCOS – CENTRO TECNINO NACIONAL DE CONSERVACION DE PRPDUCTOS DE LA PESCA), Portugal (CENTRO DE CIENCIAS DO MAR DO ALGARVE, SEAENTIA FOOD LDA, UNIVERSIDADE DE AVEIRO, ASSOCIAÇÃO NATUREZA PORTUGAL), Greece (NAYS), France (PAGE UP, VITAGORA POLE, ETHIC OCEAN), The Netherlands (LANDING AQUACULTRE BV) and Bulgaria (EVROPROJECT OOD).

NAYS will participate in all stages of the project, but more specifically, NAYS is the leader of WP5 regarding the deployment of novel blockchain technologies in 5 pilot sites (1 in Portugal for fisheries, 3 in Greece, Spain and Portugal for aquaculture and 1 in Peru/Ecuador for seafood imports from a third country and commercialization), that will result in data collection throughout the respective seafood value chains. Furthermore, NAYS will also:

• Compile the Sea2See Stakeholders’ Engagement Strategy,to promote shared understandings, increase knowledge and influence the behavior of each stakeholder group (T1.1).
• Lead the efforts for the development of a standardised LCA framework, to be used in the aquaculture management and consumers awareness and engagement approaches applied in the Sea2See project (T6.1).

Sea2see has received funding from the European Research Executive Agency (REA) under grant agreement No 01060564

An alternative way of utilizing the alien fish species of the genus Lagocephalus. Production of fishmeal for use in the diet of mediterranean farmed marine species

The main objectives of the project concern:

1. The reduction of ecological problems caused by the presence of fish of the genus Lagocephalus and protection of native species.
2. The minimization of its adverse consequences on fisheries.
3. The reduction of the pressure exerted on marine resources for the production of fishmeal, as the main ingredient of fish feed.
4. The utilization of fishmeal by the Greek Mariculture sector, as an economic raw material.

The object of the project is:

• The development, optimization and implementation of methods that will ensure the deactivation of tetradotoxin (TTX) from the tissues of fish of the genus Lagocephalus.
• The production of free tetradotoxin fishmeal from Lagocephalus.
• The evaluation of the nutritional value and the determination of maximum percentages of participation of fishmeal from Lagocephalus in feed rations for European seabass (Dicentrarchus labrax) through in vitro and in vivo experiments.
• The elaboration of a Feasibility – Viability Study for fishmeal production unitsutilizing Lagocephalus and a Cost – Benefit Analysis Study of the production of fishmeal that will describe the chain of distribution (logistics) of discarded fish from the point of unloading by the fishermen to the unit (or units) of processing and production of fishmeal

Research Centers

Two of the country’s leading Research Centers in their field will collaborate in the project. The Hellenic Centre for Marine Research (HCMR) with the Institute of Marine Biology, Biotechnology and Aquaculture (IMBBC) and the Institute of Marine Biological Resources and Inland Waters (IMBRIW) and the National Centre for Scientific Research “Demokritos” with the Institute of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology (INN).

The project will also include the participation of the company NAYS, which will prepare the Feasibility – Viability Study for fishmeal production units utilizing Lagocephalus, the Cost-Benefit Analysis Study and the Business Plan for the establishment or expansion of fishmeal production units.

The operation is co-financed by the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund (EMFF).

The Program is part of European Union Priority 1 “Promoting environmentally sustainable, resource–efficient, innovative, competitive and knowledge–based fisheries” of the Operational Programme (OP) “Fisheries and Maritime 2014-2020” and specifically in Measure 6.1.16.