EfxINNOs Workshop in Istanbul: Innovative Marine Monitoring Technologies for a Sustainable Blue Economy in the Black Sea
Istanbul, 17 October 2025
The “2nd EfxINNOs Joint Workshop: Innovative Marine Monitoring Technologies for a Sustainable Blue Economy in the Black Sea” will be held on 17 October 2025 in Istanbul, organized by Istanbul University and hosted by the Permanent International Secretariat of the Organization of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation within the framework of the EfxINNOs Project.
The workshop will convene representatives of ministries, regional organizations, municipalities, academia, industry, and financial institutions to discuss innovative marine and coastal monitoring solutions that support evidence‑based policymaking, the sustainable growth of maritime sectors and enhance investment and cooperation across the Black Sea Basin.
Program Highlights
Across five thematic panels, discussions will focus on: the role of monitoring technologies in the design and implementation of national and regional marine and maritime policies; sector‑specific monitoring needs (shipbuilding, port operations, shipping, tourism, marine aquaculture and capture fisheries, marine renewable energy, marine mining/drilling); state‑of‑the‑art monitoring and sensing innovations; and financing mechanisms and cooperation opportunities.
Innovative technologies supporting the monitoring of carbon storage capacities of seagrass meadows and climate‑sensitive seawater parameters will be discussed in the context of Türkiye’s Climate Law.
Participation Details
The workshop will take place in hybrid format and conducted in Turkish. TR/EN simultaneous interpretation will be provided. Participation is free of charge. Please note that in‑person participation is fully booked. Participants may register via the link below to attend online.
Online registration: https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/HVOHX2piSx-9UlIw7XvQew#/registration
About the EfxINNOs Project
EfxINNOs is an EU co-funded project under the Interreg NEXT Black Sea Basin Programme (Project code: BSB00193). It aims to close data and policy gaps in marine observation across the Black Sea and North Aegean by deploying micro-AUVs/ROVs and surface buoys for high-resolution environmental data collection, applying AI-enabled tools to monitor sea water quality, seagrass meadows and marine litter, and establishing digital information kiosks in pilot areas to strengthen public awareness and scientific outreach. Duration: Aug 2024 – Feb 2027. Total budget: €1.64 million.
Coordinator and partners:
Coordinator: Democritus University of Thrace (Greece). Partners: Union of Bulgarian Black Sea Local Authorities (Bulgaria); National Institute for Marine Research and Development ‘Grigore Antipa’ (Romania); Ilia State University (Georgia); Istanbul University (Türkiye); Technical University of Varna (Bulgaria).
Turkish coordinator: Prof. Dr. Yelda Aktan, Istanbul University.
Project duration: August 2024 – February 2027
Total budget: €1.64 million
