Platform

Maritime Cluster annual conference 8 December

ASV, Citizen Science, People, Platform, SP SeaCat, Sweden / November 7, 2022 January 10, 2023

December 8 it is the time for the annual conference of Maritime Cluster of West Sweden. This year we highlight some of the most discussed sustainable trends right now: Offshore wind power, sailing cargo vessels and citizen science. SCOOT is co-hosting the event together with Region Västra Götaland, University of Gothenburg, Chalmers, RISE, SMTF, Ocean Data Factory Sweden and SSPA. The conference language is mainly Swedish.

Venue: Lindholmen Science Park, Gothenburg.
Register here!
Info in Swedish at Maritima Klsutret.

Preliminary Programme

08.30 – 09.00 Registration and coffee

Block I

09.00 – 10.00 Offshore wind power
• Overview and current status – including the permit process
• The state of technology in offshore wind power

10.00 – 10.30 Morning coffee

10.30 – 11.00 Offshore wind power (continued)
• The actor perspective – an actor on the international market
• The political perspective

11.00 – 12.00 Wind propulsion
• Overview and current status
• Technology overview of wind-assisted and wind-driven ships, with examples from ships in operation
• The supplier perspective of system solutions for wind propulsion
• An example of a concept for a wind-powered ship
• The cargo owner’s perspective on wind-powered ships

12.00 – 13.00 Mingle lunch

Block II

13.00 – 14.00 Maritime citizen science
• What is marine citizen science? Current examples from Ocean Data Factory Sweden.
• Test here and now! Deployment of an autonomous measuring sensor with the help of a surface-moving robot.
• Where does this lead? How do we build knowledge about the sea?
• What knowledge about the sea do we need?

14.30 – 15.00 Maritime Cluster in West Sweden: The future?
• Information, discussion and input from the participants about wishes for the cluster’s future development.

15.00 – 15.30 Afternoon coffee

SCOOT Ship and AUV days in the Baltic Sea

AUV, Hugin, Platform, R/V Skagerak, Research vessel / September 7, 2022 September 7, 2022

In the week 17 – 21 October AUV Ran will be doing field tests in the Baltic Sea, supported by R/V Skagerak. SCOOT invites small and medium sized companies, entrepreneurs and everyone with an interesting idea to join! SCOOT wants to hear from you, the offer is free of charge. This is a great opportunity to use a research vessel and an underwater robot, both top of the line with impressive sensor suits.

The field tests are planned mainly in the southern part of Baltic Proper, but also further north and possibly also along the Swedish west coast. (AUV Ran is preparing for the next field season in the Southern Ocean and project leader Anna Wåhlin wants to conduct sensor tests in suitable soft bottom locations, which can be found for example in the Bornholm Basin.)

SCOOT and Seacat at ‘Open Ship’ in Stockholm

ASV, Demo, People, Platform, R/V Skagerak, Research vessel, SP SeaCat / June 25, 2022 June 25, 2022

Nice weather and an even better crowd! What more can one ask for when it is ‘Open Ship’? University of Gothenburg’s research vessel R/V Skagerak joined the event in Stockholm 9 – 11 June. SCOOT was very happy that Skagerak’s ship manager Louise Newman invited us to show the experimental autonomous platform Seacat on the aft-deck. This highlights the importance the university places on innovation and of being in the technological forefront of ocean observations.

The event allowed visitors to see the state-of-the-art in ocean observation methods and technologies. On 8 June the event prestarted with groups of high-school students, on 9 June came crown princess Victoria, on 10 June came a long row of specially invited guests and decision makers, and on 11 June the general public was invited (fully booked quite early).

In addition to R/V Skagerak the event featured two more of Sweden’s research vessels, namely R/V Svea (used extensively by SCOOT partner SMHI and by SLU Aqua) and S/V Ocean Surveyor (used by Geologiacl Survey of Sweden).

Seacat is mobilised onto R/V Skagerak in Gothenburg, prior to the departure for 'Open Ship' in Stockholm in June 2022.

Three Swedish research vessels participated in 'Open Ship' in Stockholm in June 2022: R/V Skagerak (left), S/V Ocean Surveyor (right) and R/V Svea (back).

Crown princess Victoria visits 'Open Ship' in Stockholm in June 2022. At the aft deck of R/V Skagerak this small ROV (Remotely Operated Vehicle) is shown.

Specially invited guests are guided onboard R/V Skagerak during 'Open Ship' in Stockholm in June 2022. Visitors were shown autonomous platforms, including the Sailbuoy and the Seacat.

Visitors from the general public are guided onboard R/V Skagerak during 'Open Ship' in Stockholm in June 2022. Visitors were shown autonomous platforms, including the Sailbuoy and the Seacat.

Seacat shown to visitors at the aft deck of R/V Skagerak during Open Sip in Stockholm in June 2022.

Seacat on display at the aft deck of R/V Skagerak during Open Sip in Stockholm in June 2022.

Seacat safely returns to Chalmers Revere Lab after 'Open Ship' in Stockholm in June 2022.

GU web (Swedish).
SLU web (Swedish).
SGU web (Swedish).

Standards for maritime charging – a key for innovating ocean observations

Innovation, Platform / June 16, 2022 June 19, 2022

Crewed research vessels with combustion engines, deploying sensor packages by winch and wire, that is how we are accustomed to see ocean data acquisition. This mode of operation will surely continue for many years ahead. But when we aim for scaling up and when we want to innovate ocean observations, then we look to robotics, to automation, and to electrification.

Making innovation possible often involves creating a common frame work, to make sure any new innovative solution actually can fit in, can be adopted and can make a difference. That is why standards are important drivers for innovation. And that is why SCOOT coordinates the project SeaCharging, a pre-study into standards for electric charging in the maritime sector.

SCOOT’s heart is with the small dedicated platforms for data acquisition. However, we believe that transport vessels (for people and goods) are the most realistic source of standards. That includes an enormous range of vessel types and sizes and purposes. The project SeaCharging focuses initially on vessels for public transport of people.

As electrification in the maritime transport sector accelerates, standardization is important to avoid expensive solutions and facilitate the work for suppliers, planners and buyers of new charging infrastructure

Sara Rogerson Senior Researcher at SSPA, leading WP3 Obstacles and opportunities, in the SeaCharging project.

More about maritime electrification and project SeaCharging

Webpage for project SeaCharging
Electrification of shipping goes slowly, post from Lighthouse
Eldrivna fartyg och land- och laddström för sjöfarten utreds, post from Transport Analysis

SCOOT ship days March 2022

CTD, Data, DNA, eDNA, Environmental monitoring, Innovation, Invasive specieses, Platform, R/V Skagerak, Research vessel, Seabed survey, sediment, Sediment sampling / March 19, 2022 March 21, 2022

On Friday 18 March we ended SCOOT’s ship week for this time. We plan to be back soon, hopefully with AUV Ran. As always we make it our mission to support entrepreneurs, small and medium sized companies, and basically anyone with an interesting idea. This week we made University of Gothenburg’s new research vessel Skagerak available. We could show images of the blue sky and the glittering ocean (yes, we had nice weather), but we would rather show the continuous data acquisition that goes on the inside of Skagerak. The photo above is from the vessel’s FerryBox system, for continuous measurements of surface water. Curious about the data? Get in touch with SCOOT.

Busy week it has been. Methods have ranged from the very established, like vertical profiling using CTD and sediment sampling using box corer, to the emerging (?) standard of sampling water for eDNA, with consultancy SeAnalytics AB.

At the end of the week we tested two prototypes of a simple 3D-printed temperature mini-logger. We made sure to deploy them at the same depth as the intake for the vessels FerryBox. Both SCOOT and the developing company Deepoid AB will be interested to see how well data from the loggers compare with data from the very well calibrated temperature sensor in the FerryBox system.

SCOOT supports innovation

Do you have an idea about how to get or use ocean data? Then SCOOT wants to support you, with ship time and autonomous platforms and robots, with sensors, expertise and networking. Here is what you should do:

Fishing for Data

Citizen Science, Data, Demo, Environmental monitoring, Fishing vessels, Innovation, Platform, Ship of opprtunity / February 10, 2022 February 10, 2022

The ocean is desperately under-sampled. Remember, we cannot forecast what we do not monitor. The problem of under-sampling is often stated about the deep ocean, but it is also very much the fact in the coastal ocean, as well in the marginal ice zone. These regions are characterized by high economical and societal value, and by high biological activity, including fish.

Collecting enough of data to describe these dynamic regions using standard research vessels would be extremely expensive. Robots struggle here as well, because of strong currents, ice, shallow water, risk of collision with vessels, etc. However, where there is fish, there is fishery… Why not employ fishing vessels to collect ocean data? Berring Data Collective is doing exactly that. SCOOT partner SMHI (Swedish Meteorological and Hydrological Institute) is supporting the effort to bring “Fishing for Data” to Sweden. A number of Swedish fishing vessels have expressed interest, stay tuned…

The beauty of Fishing for Data is the cost-effectiveness. Just by attaching some robust sensors, and then doing their usual fishing activity, these vessels put near real-time data into open portals and aggregators, such as EMODnet and Copernicus Marine Services. This is where the computers of operational forecasters (such as SMHI) automatically go to find the data that feed their models. This also where ocean and climate scientists find data.

More about Fishing for Data

Berring Data Collective
Fishing for Data as Citizen Science, demo at SCOOT workshop
Cooper Van Vranken named Ocean Change-maker by The Economist
Frontier in Marine Science, Fishing Gear as a Data Collection Platform: Opportunities to Fill Spatial and Temporal Gaps in Operational Sub-Surface Observation Networks

Seacat 2.0 – Autonomous inspection of marine installations

Acoustic, ASV, Blueview, Demo, GNSS, Innovation, Lidar, multibeam echo sounder, Optical, Platform, Sensors, SP SeaCat, video / December 30, 2021 January 3, 2022

Seacat has been with us from the start of SCOOT. It has been a nice platform for testing integration of sensors, actuators and software. Seacat also allows us to experiment with tasks for robots in the marine domain. In 2021 we have been looking at automation of inspection/supervision of marine installations. “We” means a broad group of actors (see logos below), where SCOOT has the coordinating role. Last month we recorded a short promotion video to summarize the work.

So, we have integrated a range of sensors above and below the sea-surface, and we have implemented precise navigation close to objects, including in autonomous mode. Now we need to work on the platform specifications: speed, weight, maneuvering, endurance. Then we will have a robot ready for operations in the toughest of environments, the splash zone and close to objects. That is a high risk area where we prefer not to put humans.

Robert Rylander Researcher

More about Seacat

Project website for Seacat

Technology for Marine Citizen Science

Citizen Science, Data, Demo, Fishing vessels, Innovation, Sensors, Ship of opprtunity, Workshop / December 21, 2021 December 22, 2021

On December 16th SCOOT had invited a passionate group of people to the Kristineberg research station. During an intense and hands on workshop we got demonstrations of new equipment and methods for ocean data acquisition. Not the tools that many professional oceanographers are familiar with, but the kind of technology that open up the field of ocean data collection to many, many more than before. This is citizen science, and there are strong reasons to believe that it will transform marine science. (This workshop was the second event under the banner of Ocean Data for Ocean Health. You may remember the ODOH conference SCOOT co-arranged last year?)

During the workshop we looked at sensors and at apps that are suitable for a wide range of users, including fishermen, boaters and basically anyone in contact with the ocean.

Berring Data Collective demonstrated how local fisheries can put sensors on their gear, collecting data useful both for their own fishery and for oceanographic research.
Deepoid AB demonstrated their miniature loggers for ocean currents, temperature and light. Super easy to deploy on a moored line and endurable thanks to low power consumption.
Sailing 4 Science showed castaway CTD, an easy-to-use instrument that quickly delivers a vertical profile of temperature and salinity.
SMHI presented the app EyeOnWater from MARIS and others. The app allows anyone can upload photos of the sea-surface to help capture the ocean color, an important parameter for determining particle content and presence of algae.
Maranics AB presented an app for the project Algal Blooms Sweden, which invites anyone to share images and observations of blooms in the ocean.

New technologies open new opportunities for observing the ocean, that is wonderful… But that does not immediately translate into action, or impact for that matter! We discussed at length how and why broader groups of our society can be engaged in building knowledge about the ocean. Uta Wehn, from University of Gothenburg and IHE Delft, has long experience in this field and led us in the discussion. We were joined online by John Tumpane from Formas, who pointed out that citizen science has an important role in the UN Decade of Ocean Science for a Sustainable Development.

Marine Citizen Science is about co-creating ocean knowledge, it is about a radically more democratic ocean science and ocean governance. Are the current actors in academia and public agencies ready for that?

Uta Wehn Professor of Marine Citizen Science

More about (marine) citizen science

European Citizen Science Association (eu-citizen.science)
Swedish node for citizen science: medborgarforskning.se
Mission Starfish 2030, expert report from EU’s Mission Board Healthy Oceans, Seas, Coastal and Inland Waters, look especially in the table on p 28: check point for 2025, “20 percent of data collections comes from citizen’s science initiatives”.
Ocean Data Factory Sweden is an open arena for companies, public agencies and academia. ODF Sweden strongly believes in citizen science.
News (in Swedish) from Kristineberg Center where the workshop was hosted.
Post about the workshop on GU web
Post about innovation and the development of ocean loggers by Deepoid AB.
Post about Berring Data Collective as an “ocean changemaker”.
Post about the Ocean Data for Ocean Health conference 29 September 2020.
Post about the Koster Seafloor Observatory.
Post about the Baltic Seabird AI/UX Hackathon.
Post about the Killer Shrimp Invasion Challenge, and the winner!
Post about the citizen innovation project SunChallenger II, a solar powered autonomous vessel monitoring the ocean.
Post about our open data workshop, this is where SCOOT’s interest in open (and eventually also citizen) science started, and where ODF Sweden was initiated.

SCOOT open ship day 12 November

Demo, Platform, R/V Skagerak, Research vessel / October 25, 2021 November 12, 2021

On the 12th of November we open the door (even more than usual) to SCOOT and the gangway to new and shiny R/V Skagerak! On 15th of October the king inaugurated the ship, and now we welcome companies and entrepreneurs, who are interested in the most modern technologies for making observations in the ocean. This day serves as a learning and planning day for the coming SCOOT at sea days early 2022, when we make R/V Skagerak available, primarily for small and medium sized companies in western Sweden. 12th of November is an opportunity to

visit Sweden’s most modern research vessel,
meet representatives from the SCOOT consortium (University of Gothenburg, MMT Sweden AB, SMHI),
discuss how your company can use SCOOT’s resources, including R/V Skagerak.

We are very happy to announce this opportunity to visit our new vessel, and to plan for usage at sea. By making R/V Skagerak available we want to strengthen innovation as well as collaboration between industry and the university.

Louise Newman Ship manager

Place: Nya Varvet in Gothenburg (see maps below), it is only a 2 minute walk between the ship and SCOOT’s space.

Time: The ship will be open 9 am – 6 pm, on the 12th of November.

Welcome!

R/V Skagerak:

SCOOT: (exept on the 12th)

Ship manager Loise Newman, SCOOT director Seb Swart, ship captain Joakim Edvardsson, and surface robot/glider Sailbuoy, after the ship inauguration.

SCOOT director Sebastiaan Swart is relieved, having shown diving robot/glider to the king, after the ship inauguration.

The most important person on R/V Skagerak: The chef, here smiling after the ship inauguration.

The representative from Falkvarv AB, the yard who completeted the ship, explains details to visitors on the bridge, after the ship inauguration.

New R/V Skagerak delivered at SCOOT’s doorstep

Platform, R/V Skagerak, Research vessel, Sweden / June 23, 2021 June 24, 2021

It has been a long journey, since the new R/V Skagerak was ordered by the University of Gothenburg back in 2013… But now she is ready! And SCOOT is glad to see her right outside of our space.

Overall, a berth at Nya Varvet in Gothenburg is the best alternative, as the quay can be easily adapted and there is proximity to university activities such as the SCOOT project and organisations such as MMT and SMHI.

Göran Hilmersson

Dean and head of the ship steering group

In an era of of robotics and accelerating automation of ocean observations, one might wonder if crewed research vessels really represent value for money? Sebastiaan Swart, director of SCOOT and head of the ship user group at University of Gothenburg, explains:

– Robots are great for going where ships cannot, like under a glacier, and for making long endurance missions. But research vessels are still indispensable. There are a multitude of ocean data collection that require a combination of advanced technology and human hands and eyes. For this we need vessels like the new Skagerak. In the future we will see ever more robots collecting ocean data, but we will not see fewer research vessels.

More about R/V Skagerak:

News post at University of Gothenburg’s web.
Info, specifications and booking of the new R/V Skagerak.
SMEs in western Sweden are advised to contact SCOOT about using the new R/V Skagerak.