Across Europe, from the Atlantic Ocean, the Mediterranean Sea to the Adriatic Sea, the bathing water quality in most areas is considered to be high for swimming. This assessment is based on two key indicators, Escherichia coli (E. coli) and intestinal enterococci, as mandated by the Bathing Water Directive (EU, 2006).
Yet, in the long-term management of coastal areas, potential problems are lurking in the near future. With the ongoing effects of climate change taking hold, along with the accelerated urbanization of coastal areas and the increase in tourism activities, additional pressures on the environment are emerging. Particularly important are dynamic sources of pollution, such as those originating from maritime transport activities.
Conceptual model of the relationship between climate warming and the occurrence of E. coli, intestinal enterococci and cyanobacteria (Source: EEA):
Besides the ongoing impacts of climate and human-induced changes on the quality of bathing sites, a question arises as to whether the usual classification of ‘bathing’ sites is sufficient to ensure public health, given that citizens and tourists swim in various undesignated locations.
Utilizing an advanced technological system based on artificial intelligence, satellite monitoring, and systematic, and strategic sampling, the partners aim to enable more accurate identification of pollution risks caused by human activities in coastal areas, contributing to the preservation of our coasts and seas. More than 700 locations along the Adriatic coastline are already included, with the aim of expanding to more than 1500 within the next three years.
This represents an unprecedented geographical and hydromorphological diversity in training sets for artificial intelligence, ensuring that the model can be adapted to various future trends.
The key advantages of this project include:
broader geographical coverage
more frequent and precise monitoring
dynamic pollution tracking
development of predictive capabilities
quick integration of newly identified pollutants
enhanced resilience to climate change
expansion of technology to monitor air and land
support for tourism and the blue economy as a whole
With the help of SeaCras satellite technology, HZJZ and other national and regional institutions will now be able to collect data more efficiently and frequently, even from remote or hard-to-reach areas such as islands. This will help ensure the protection of the health of residents and visitors, allowing for quicker responses in case of pollution detection, such as the presence of harmful bacteria like E. coli or intestinal enterococci (e.g., E. faecalis).
We are extremely proud of this national-level project, which marks a new chapter in monitoring bathing sites water quality, on top of the traditional sampling-based monitoring. The goal is to establish the new standard for large-scale monitoring and the adoption of climate security principles to ensure public health in the long term to citizens, tourists, and other guests across Croatia.
The World Economic Forum included SeaCras among the top global innovators in the field of blue economy sustainability as part of the Regenerative Blue Economy Challenge initiative!
In competition with 200 shortlisted companies, and after multiple rounds of evaluation, our ‘Coastal Intelligence’ project was recognized as one of the most comprehensive and innovative solutions intended for users in coastal tourism, aquaculture, maritime transport and the energy sector.
The participating companies were supposed to offer solutions to problems such as pollution of coastal waters, harm to marine habitats, lack of data on the state of the marine ecosystem, the impact of climate change, uncontrolled maritime traffic, overfishing and restoration of coral reefs.
Overview of the top 5 companies in the Regenerative Blue Economy Challenge by UpLink – WEF
Coastal Intelligence, as an award-winning project, includes integrated monitoring and surveillance of the state of the coastal waters, a sustainability demonstration application, and the measurement of the performance and recovery goals of the marine environment for ESG reporting purposes.
The Regenerative Blue Economy Challenge by UpLink– World Economic Forum is funded by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Economy and Planning, led by WAVE and Friends of Ocean Action, with contributions by ecosystem partners: Builders Vision, Fauna & Flora, G20 CORDAP (Coral Research & Development Accelerator Platform), Global Fund for Coral Reefs, NCECKSA, Red Sea Global, SVCL, OceanX, AVEVA.
The World Economic Forum presented the winning cohort at the Climate Week NYC 2024 in New York.
Needless to say, we’re extremely proud of this recognition and it drives us forward to continue working on integrated development and monitoring of the state of the sea, and ultimately, more effective environmental protection.
Mario Špadina (CEO) and Stipe Lukin (CTO) of SeaCras recently took part in the Technical and Scientific Workshop at the Digital Ocean Forum 2024 (DOF2024) in Brussels, an event aimed at fostering collaboration and innovation in the marine science and technology sector. The European Digital Twin of the Ocean (EDITO) initiative, a centerpiece of the forum, is a groundbreaking effort aimed at creating a thriving digital ecosystem for marine data.
The EDITO platform is designed to co-create and innovate through community assets, science, and technology, advancing the accessibility and use of marine data across Europe.
SeaCras as a contributing partner is excited about the much-needed launch of the EDITO and the continuous upgrades to the platform, so that together with our partners we can create Croatia’s digital replica of the Adriatic sea.
On the management level, the success of the initiative is largely credited to key partners, including Mercator Ocean International, VLIZ (Flanders Marine Institute), and the European Commission, whose leadership and hard work have been instrumental in bringing EDITO to fruition.
However, despite the progress, several critical questions remain for the marine data provider community. These include:
1) How can data harmonization and interoperability be further improved? 2) What steps can be taken to ensure data accessibility for a broader community of stakeholders? 3) How can high-level intelligence be derived from the existing data sets?
SeaCras is fully aligned with the mission of EDITO, and is committed to actively contributing to the European Digital Twin Ocean through its innovative projects and partnerships. The company is making a significant impact toward creating a more harmonized, accessible, and insightful marine data environment, pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in the world of marine data science.
SeaCras has been recognized by the European Marine Observation and Data Network (EMODnet) in their latest report, with a special mention of CEO, Mario Špadina, in the executive summary. At the EMODnet conference that took place in September, our CEO highlighted SeaCras’s expertise in sustainable coastal water monitoring using high-resolution satellite technology.
The company was recognized for its innovative approach, leveraging EMODnet’s resources and open-source data to reduce R&D costs by calibrating satellite imagery with auxiliary data.
Covering 1,600 square kilometres of coastal waters, SeaCras provides pollutant detection, biochemical monitoring, and seabed mapping, serving port authorities, nature parks, and the coastal tourism and maritime transport sectors.
One of more famous used cases is Croatia’s Telašćica Nature Park where SeaCras data distinguishes between man-made and natural effects, helping to protect vulnerable waters from boating impacts. As a company, we strive to address the gaps in water monitoring by offering data-driven insights into human activity and climate change impacts.
Despite the limitations of field sampling in Croatia, SeaCras is actively pushing for reforms in legal frameworks to incorporate new technologies and better integrate marine data into coastal management practices.
SeaCras technology is ready for immediate deployment and offers the potential to significantly enhance the scope and frequency of data collection. This includes expanding coverage of descriptor D5 and D7 marine data, alongside a broad range of physical marine data, ultimately improving our ability to monitor and manage coastal environments.
By simplifying complex data into user-friendly visualisations, SeaCras ensures that marine information is accessible to non-experts, supporting coastal communities to make better decisions.
We are honoured to have been recognised for having a vital role in the marine data industry and our commitment to innovation and environmental protection.
