As part of the TRIDENT project, the head of EMEPC, Vice Admiral Carlos Ventura Soares and Dr Teresa Rafael visited Porto on 18 November 2024 to meet with the team from the Institute for Systems and Computer Engineering, Technology and Science (INESC-TEC). INESC-TEC is the coordinator of this €16M project, co-financed by the European Union's Horizon Europe programme, which includes 10 countries and 25 entities, with which EMEPC has been collaborating. The aim of this initiative is to develop technological solutions for assessing the environmental impacts of seabed prospecting activities.

The meeting discussed how to integrate EMEPC as an official partner in this project, as well as other possible future collaborations with a view to exchanging knowledge and experience between the institutions.

In the afternoon there was a guided tour of INESC-TEC's facilities, where it was possible to see the innovative technological solutions that the institute has been developing for deep sea research.

Science and Technology Week 2024 is just around the corner!

EMEPC has organised an open afternoon. Come and visit us, sign up!

𝐃𝐢𝐚 𝟐𝟏 𝐝𝐞 𝐍𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐫𝐨 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟒 à𝐬 𝟏𝟓:𝟎𝟎 𝐞𝐦 𝐏𝐚ç𝐨 𝐝𝐞 𝐀𝐫𝐜𝐨𝐬.

On this open afternoon, come and see our facilities, talk to us, learn about the Extension Project and visit the Luso ROV.

We know more about the surface of the Moon than the bottom of the sea, and only very recently have we been able to produce technological equipment and thus look at the bottom of the sea. Paço de Arcos, in the municipality of Oeiras, is home to the Mission Structure for the Extension of Portugal's Continental Shelf (EMEPC), the organisation that owns the Luso ROV, the remotely operated robot that dives to a depth of 6000m! And it allows scientists to observe a specific location on the bottom of the Portuguese Sea, as well as take samples. The Portuguese Sea is on average 2500 metres deep and 6000 metres deep at its deepest point.

https://www.cienciaviva.pt/semanact/2024/eventos.php?accao=showactivities&id_activity=6780

More information and registration: https://forms.gle/fu98Dh5nBjfBkSe59

The training programme is based on an interdisciplinary curriculum that integrates key areas of ocean governance, marine conservation, the sustainable blue economy and the continental shelf regime. The programme also allows for networking between participants, facilitating international cooperation and the exchange of information between countries, as well as the sharing of information through the exchange of experiences with Portuguese and international experts.

By empowering these leaders, the programme aims to:

- Improve ocean-related decision-making in developing economies

- Promote more effective policies for the protection and sustainable use of marine resources

- Strengthen international co-operation on ocean issues

This programme represents a significant effort to develop essential skills and knowledge to tackle global ocean challenges, focusing especially on leaders from developing countries, equipping them with the knowledge they need to be effective decision-makers in ocean policy at national and international level.

Translated with DeepL.com (free version)

EMEPC was present at the Esri Portugal User Meeting 2024. The EUE Meeting is an opportunity to share experiences between users of Geographic Information Systems, a way to open horizons, establish contacts and be inspired by projects, ideas and people who challenge us to go further.

EMEPC had the opportunity to make contact with Dawn Wright, PhD, chief scientist at ESRI and Key note speaker at the conference, with whom we exchanged ideas for future collaborations regarding the study of Portugal's deep sea. Her talk Our Ocean, Our Future was inspiring.

#emepc #pepc #projetodeextensão #rovluso #mardeportugal #economia #Compromissocomofuturo #ciência #marprofundo #tecnologia #ODS14 #EUE2024

This Tuesday, EMEPC was visited by the Secretary of State for the Sea, Lídia Bulcão, for the swearing in of new members of the Mission Structure.

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#emepc #pepc #projetodeextensão #rovluso #mardeportugal #economia #TomadaDePosse #NovosComeços #CompromissocomPortugal #Compromissocomofuturo #ciência #marprofundo #tecnologia #ODS14

🦾 The #SOVA2024-Scientific Ocean Vehicles Alliance event took place on 19 and 20 September, and several of the main national and international players in the field of scientific underwater vehicles were present. It was the first time since it was set up (2020) by the Schmidt Ocean Institute that it was held outside the USA, which allowed other European groups to attend: #IMAR, #UTM-CSIC, #KTH(#SMaRC), #UniversityGothenburg and #INESCTEC(#CRAS).

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EMEPC participates in this week kick-off meeting of the Trident project. The Trident project aims to develop monitoring systems for the marine environment, in order to protect it from the impacts that may be generated by exploration and exploitation activities in the deep sea. 

Funded with 16 million euros, of which about 12 million euros by the European Commission's Horizon Europe program, led by INESC TEC, the project brings together 26 institutions from 10 countries, five of which are Portuguese.

Attention Teachers and Non-Formal Educators:

This (online) course is for you! 📢

Aiming to enhance communication and teaching about the ocean by teachers and educators, this course, taught in Portuguese, goes beyond borders.

Because the Ocean needs all of us, it's time to learn more about how to be part of this change. 🌊

Full details about the course and the application form are available at https://oceanexpert.org/event/3797.

Applications are open until January 31, 2023. Hurry, because places are limited.

CIIMAR / CIMAR Associate Laboratory

Portuguese Task Group for the Extension of the Continental Shelf (EMEPC)

MARE - Center for Marine and Environmental Sciences

Unesco - Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission

International Oceanographic Data and Information Exchange (IODE)

The Council of Ministers determined on the 7th of December 2022 that the Portuguese Task Group for the Extension of the Continental Shelf has its mandate renewed until 31.12.2025. 

The EMEPC team thus continues its mission and objectives, namely in the interaction of the Portuguese delegation with the United Nations Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf (CLPC) for the evaluation and defence of the national proposal for the extension of the continental shelf.

Translated with www.DeepL.com/Translator (free version)

The coordinator of the Extension of the Continental Shelf Project, Dr. Pedro Madureira, will participate in the DeepSea Minerals 2022 Congress to be held on 26 and 27 October in Bergen, Norway. On the 26th he will deliver the communication "The Area: Update on Licensing".

"Area" is the term used to designate the seabed and its subsoil beyond the limits of countries' national jurisdiction. The Area and its resources are the common heritage of humanity.

Find out more about the congress

EMEPC's geologist and coordinator of the Continental Shelf Extension Project, Pedro Madureira participates in the Workshop "For the promotion of the sustainable development of Africa's deep-seabed resources in support of Africa's blue economy" taking place in Nigeria from October 5 to 7. Today Pedro Madureira and presentations were held:

- "The 'reserved areas' mechanism: overview and practical implications.

- Area mineral resources and current state of marine mineral technology

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Biologist Monica Albuquerque from the Portuguese Task Group for the Extension of the Continental Shelf (EMEPC) was this year distinguished by the IPMA's GelAvista team with the Gold Medusa d'Ouro 2022 award for the records of observations of gelatinous organisms, which she already performs since 2018 in her spare time.

GelAvista is the program responsible for monitoring gelatinous organisms throughout the Portuguese coast, Azores and Madeira, launched in February 2016. It aims to involve the community in the development of science, thus bridging the lack of knowledge in Portugal about gelatinous organisms.

It gathers information about these animals, using the participation of citizens who frequent coastal areas - beaches, estuaries, rivers, marinas, and others - during their leisure activities (walking by the sea, diving, sailing, surfing, etc.) or their professional activities (for example, collecting in fishing nets).

You can learn more about the program and how to participate on its official website at https://gelavista.ipma.pt/.

One day you could also receive this distinction! Become a GelAvista observer and send us your sightings through our application. For any questions, please contact us at plancton@ipma.pt.

The Council of the International Seabed Authority (ISA), based in Kingston, Jamaica, elected Dr. Luísa Pinto Ribeiro, geologist and member of the team of the Portuguese Task Group for the Extension of the Continental Shelf (EMEPC), to the Technical and Legal Commission of the ISA, reinforcing Portugal's commitment to the Ocean affairs both nationally and internationally.

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When it comes to work at sea, many still associate it with a traditionally male sector. The truth is that women's participation is increasingly larger and more important. 400 of them, including EMEPC women, have now joined together in a Platform to save the Ocean.

There are more than 400 women who assume, in a platform, the double objective of enhancing the value of women in the sea and sustainability. The group is quite diverse and includes researchers, scientists or biologists to surfers, fishermen, shellfish gatherers, divers, lawyers, teachers or doctors from north to south of the country, including the islands.

The project is looking for more entities that want to support it, so if you have a chance to support it please contact: geral@helpimages.org

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#mulheresdomar #EMEPC #rovluso #mardeportugal #portugalémar #ministérioeconomiaemar

Last week, as part of the 2nd Environmental Sampling Course organized by Instituto Superior Técnico 25 students from IST visited the NI Mário Ruivo and the ROV Luso, already on board for the Oceanographic Campaign "Madeira-Tore Ridge"!

Learn more 

#portugalémar #EMEPC #PEPC #mardeportugal #ipma #ministerioeconomiaemar #rovluso

The X Symposium on the Atlantic Iberian Margin, MIA 2022, will take place in Bilbao from 7 to 9 July. The aim of this Symposium, organized by the University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU, is the presentation of multidisciplinary scientific papers in the field of marine sciences. EMEPC is present in this symposium. In the next days follow and get to know the news about our work!

#ministeriodaeconomiaemar #mia #EMEPC #PEPCc #iatlantic #explosea2 #rovluso

Detail program: https://www.ehu.eus/documents/32930484/37421183/Programa_detallado_MIA2022.pdf/0870f0cd-d6e6-edac-c459-56c629831ffe?t=1656496547731

In the week that the 2nd United Nations Oceans Conference took place in Lisbon, we held the colloquium "The Extension of the Portuguese Continental Shelf" in the Foreign Affairs and Portuguese Communities Commission in the Portuguese Parliament. 

The EMEPC team led by Isabel Botelho Leal, the adjunct Pedro Madureira and the researchers Luísa Pinto Ribeiro, Maria Simões and Frederico Dias presented a global framework of the Extension of the Portuguese Continental Shelf Project, explained how the Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf works as well as the current situation of the Portuguese Submission and the future opportunities and challenges.

Watch or review the session here

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Our neighbours from ENIDH Escola Superior Náutica accompanied by a group of researchers from NTNU - Norwegian University of Science and Technology and USN - Southeastern University of Norway visited EMEPC where they had the opportunity to see the Rov Luso in Operation.

More information HERE

🌊 We celebrated the World Ocean Day by participating in the Rise Up initiative discussion session, which took place at the Lisbon Oceanarium.

More than 20,000 students voted on their priorities for the protection of the Ocean and yesterday concrete actions were discussed to compile into a letter of commitment that will be delivered at the plenary session of the United Nations Oceans Conference taking place in Lisbon at the end of the month.

Several Blue Schools were very well represented today by their students in this session: AE Nazaré, AE João da Rosa, ES D. Manuel Martins, AE Ferreira de Castro, AE Gil Eanes, CED Nossa Sra. da Conceição, EB Mestre Arnaldo Louro de Almeida, EB Geraldes and EB da Prageira.

The students participated in discussion groups with relevant moderators: the Minister of Education, João Costa; the Head of the Mission Structure for the Extension of the Continental Platform (EMEPC), Isabel Botelho Leal; the CEO of the Blue Ocean Foundation, Tiago Pitta e Cunha; the Councillor for Education of Mafra City Council, António Felgueiras; the Executive Director of Ciência Viva, Ana Noronha; the Ocean Leader and bodyboard athlete, Joana Schenker; and the Home Study Coordinator, Cláudia Torres.

🌊 This was an initiative of the Directorate-General for Education, Blue Ocean Foundation, Study at Home, Network of Live Science Clubs at School and Blue School, where we gave a voice to the youngest to vote and discuss the priorities and concrete actions for the defence of the Ocean.

#RiseUp4theOcean #BlueSchool #LiterateOcean #Ocean #Youth #Youth #Schools #StudyatHome #Voting #UNOceanConference #RiseUp

More information HERE

We received at EMEPC the Minister of Economy and Sea, António Costa Silva and the Secretary of State for the Sea, José Maria Costa, on a working visit to our facilities. During the visit a brief conversation was held regarding the Continental Shelf Extension Project, as well as a demonstration of the Luso ROV in Operation, in order to show the potential of the equipment. 

Full news Here