Constanta (Romania), July 16, 2024 – On 9-10 July, the kick-off meeting of the EX-AQUA project took place at the National Institute for Marine Research and Development “Grigore Antipa” (NIMRD) in Constanta, Romania. This event marked the beginning of a transformative initiative to boost marine algae aquaculture in the Black Sea region.
EX-AQUA is a 3-year project funded by the European Union, aiming to strengthen excellence in marine algae aquaculture tailored to the unique environment of the Black Sea. The project is structured around four key pillars:
- creating excellence in science for marine algae aquaculture,
- building capacity at NIMRD to increase its impact in research, development, and innovation,
- promoting a local innovation ecosystem for industrial adoption of new technological solutions,
- creating synergies through the establishment of a cluster for applied marine aquaculture.
Participants in the project include NIMRD (Romania) as the project coordinator, Ghent University (Belgium), the Alfred Wegener Institute (Germany), the Black Sea Advisory Council (Bulgaria), Lomartov (Spain), and the Cyprus Marine and Maritime Institute (Cyprus).
Constanta (Romania), July 16, 2024 – On 9-10 July, the kick-off meeting of the EX-AQUA project took place at the National Institute for Marine Research and Development “Grigore Antipa” (NIMRD) in Constanta, Romania. This event marked the beginning of a transformative initiative to boost marine algae aquaculture in the Black Sea region.
During the kick-off meeting, representatives from these entities discussed the project ambitions and visited NIMRD’s aquaculture laboratories. This project is crucial for Romania and the Black Sea region due to its potential to drive sustainable and economic development. Marine algae aquaculture offers high-quality sea products, climate benefits through carbon sequestration, and new employment and business opportunities in an underdeveloped industry[1].
EX-AQUA will integrate the EU Southeast region into the marine and algae aquaculture map, reducing regional disparities and contributing to the goals of the Blue Economy and the European Green Deal. NIMRD is the main research and development centre on the Romanian Black Sea coast involved in Blue Economy. The project aims to bolster the value chain and achieve sustainability targets by integrating practices and knowledge from renowned Western institutions into NIMRD. Collaboration with public and private organisations will enhance scientific excellence, foster innovation, and build strategic partnerships.
Additionally, the project emphasizes capacity building and knowledge transfer to establish NIMRD as a centre of excellence in marine algae aquaculture. By leveraging international best practices and local expertise, EX-AQUA aims to create a robust ecosystem supporting sustainable growth and resilience.
Disclaimer
Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Research Executive Agency (REA). Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.Grant Agreement No 101159509.
About Horizon Europe
Horizon Europe is the EU’s key funding programme for research and innovation. It tackles climate change, helps to achieve the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals and boosts the EU’s competitiveness and growth. The programme facilitates collaboration and strengthens the impact of research and innovation in developing, supporting and implementing EU policies while tackling global challenges. It supports the creation and better diffusion of excellent knowledge and technologies.
[1] European Parliament Directorate-General for Internal Policies. Study: The future of the EU algae sector. Available at: https://op.europa.eu/en/publication-detail/-/publication/8100e5b7-c14f-11ed-8912-01aa75ed71a1/language-en
