InnovaMare took part to EMRA 2023, the European workshop on EU-funded marine robotics and applications, in Šibenik (Croatia)

EMRA 2023, the international workshop on EU-funded Marine Robotics and Applications, one of the most important full-event in this field, took place in Šibenik (Croatia), on June 20 and 21. Launched in Italy in 2014, the 9th edition of EMRA brought together partners and stakeholders from EU-funded projects aiming at a more sustainable sea and a stronger blue economy. University of Zagreb, Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computing (UNIZG-FER) together with DIH AgriFood Croatia, and InnovaMare stakeholder and IN2 hosted this-year workshop on marine robotics and applications in Šibenik. The event was organized by partners under leading EU strategic projects such as InnovaMare, MARBLE, MONUSEN, SeaTecHub, and UWIN-LABUST.

Dozens of experts from European countries are expected in the 17th-century fortress of St. John, high above the sea, to attend a 2-day program including the presentations of 15 EU projects which have successfully developed sea-saving and high-tech marine and submarine innovation; talks by six industry leaders and two panel discussions focusing on the Blue Economy challenges and on the WIDERA program to strengthen European research under Horizon Europe.

“As we have seen in previous editions of EMRA – organisers said – this event is not limited to scientific research experts, but also includes a wide range of speakers, running from industries managers to end-users. EMRA’s open and interdisciplinary approach validates the importance of cooperation and encourages it”.

On June 20, the opening session featured renowned Croatian researcher in robotics, Assistant Professor Fausto Ferreira from University of Zagreb, Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computing (UNIZG-FER). After a first round of European project presentations Marco Novello, manager for technological innovation at Saipem, gave his industry keynote speech. Presentations of the European projects launched under WIDERA and the roundtable on WIDERA projects challanges took place in the afternoon.

On June 21, Mateo Ivanac, InnovaMare project manager (from Croatian Chamber of Economy), presented the results of more than three years of Italian-Croatian cross-border cooperation. PASSport, MARBLE and Iliad EU funded projects were also presented in the morning.

As part of the session dedicated to industrial talks Stefano Malagodi, director of Xunord, the Innovo Group company producing the first Eco Robot Oceandrone, addressed to the public.

The second panel discussion “Challenges and opportunities in the growth of a sustainable Blue Economy”, was moderated by Carlo Kraškovic from mareFVG, partner of InnovaMare, bringing to the public’s attention the experiences of public-private partnerships in this specific field.

“The strength of the conference – stressed the Croatian Chamber of Economy, lead partner of InnovaMare strategic project – is the interdisciplinary approach used to address such an urgent issue as the ongoing Blue Economy growth”. “There are tremendous opportunities laying ahead for European maritime countries and – it added – this is the right time to take the best out of our experiences: performing technological applications are more within reach by staying networked and by sharing projects from one side of the Adriatic to the other”.

EMRA 2023 Programme: https://emra-2023.marinerobotics.eu/programme/