CORAL project presents deep sea challenges in Portugal

CORAL project presents deep sea challenges in Portugal

Within the framework of CORAL - Sustainable Ocean Exploitation: Tools and Sensors, the workshop “Scientific, technical and legal challenges of deep sea mining. A vision for Portugal” was held on 16 April at the Engineer António de Almeida Foundation. It was organised by the Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research (CIIMAR).

08th May 2018

With an interdisciplinary approach combining science, technology and law, the workshop aimed, firstly, to disseminate the research results achieved within the Coral project, having in mind the prospects of deep sea mining in the Portuguese continental shelf and the expected environmental impacts.

There was a wide and open debate about the current scientific and technological knowledge concerning the exploration and exploitation of solid minerals in the deepwater, giving particular attention to the environmental impacts and associated measures of prevention, monitoring, mitigation and compensation. For the workshop were invited several national and international experts. 

The CORAL project brings INESC TEC and CIIMAR together in the deep sea exploration under the motto "Knowledge to intervene”. The goal of project CORAL is to investigate and develop technological driven solutions to tackle deep sea resource exploitation under a sustainable environmental framework. In addition, sensor-based technology for marine or marine-related activities will also be developed.

The CORAL project will be implemented through a two-research line strategy: BlueTools – tools and technologies for managing deep sea resource exploitation, where robotic technologies such as manipulation or navigation, monitoring and perception systems; BlueSensors – photonic technologies for ocean monitoring and exploitation, focusing on the development of innovative sensors for marine monitoring.

The project, which is coordinated by researchers Filipe Castro and Miguel Santos (CIIMAR) and Eduardo Silva and Pedro Jorge (INESC TEC) is funded by the Northern Regional Operational Programme (NORTE2020) through the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF).

The INESC TEC researchers mentioned in this news piece are associated with INESC TEC and P.Porto-ISEP.