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Involving industry in marine data initiatives: EMODnet & Columbus workshop at EMD2017

News article |

"The Future of our Seas" is the hot topic this year at the European Maritime Day (EMD) conference. Taking place in Poole, United Kingdom, on 18-19 May 2017, the conference will offer a platform for Europe’s community of maritime professionals to come together, exchange knowledge and forge the partnerships needed for joint actions in order to boost the Blue Growth sector.

Last year’s conference highlighted the need for further advancement of ocean and seas governance, and stressed that all stakeholders have a part to play in this process, with business, industry and civil society (consumers) having an important role. The need for effective data on seas was repeatedly stressed, and at the same time there was consensus that a lack of data should be no excuse for a lack of policy/governance decision-making (See the EMD2016 conference report).

So what’s the situation a year on? Has the engagement of industry in marine data collection and sharing progressed?

This will be the main focus of the "Blue Growth Data Challenge Part 1: Engaging Industry" workshop, co-organised by EMODnet and the H2020 Columbus project, co-located with the EMD2017.

This workshop will discuss the challenges, the barriers and the benefits of public-private collaboration towards data acquisition and sharing. Drawing from initiatives such as WOC’s Smart Ocean Smart Industries program, MAREANO project, Columbus and the EMODnet Data Ingestion Facility, the workshop will identify best practices to promote industry-public collaborations and facilitate the uptake of data from private sector.

The workshop will set the stage for the follow-on workshop Blue Growth Data Challenge Part 2: Offshore Energy Case Studies. The workshop will also raise awareness of the recently established EMODnet Data Ingestion Facility which aims to promote and facilitate the uptake of data from hitherto inaccessible sources, including from companies and disconnected research groups.

Who should attend: Key actors in the marine knowledge value chain from acquisition, management and sharing up to the application of marine data resources, are invited to the workshop to discuss together how to overcome barriers to industry-public collaboration and how to engage industry in collection and sharing of marine observations to enable innovation and support blue growth.

Workshop Agenda

Blue Growth Data Challenge Part 1: Engaging Industry - Involving industry in marine data initiatives

Thursday 18 May 2017 from 15.15 till 16.45 (Workshop 16), European Maritime Day 2017

Chair: Phil Weaver, Seascape, Chair of the EMODnet Steering Committee

Introductory session: pitch presentations to outline the current status-quo, the future vision and the steps that must be taken to accelerate open public-private marine data and information sharing initiatives given by:

  • Peter Thijsse, Marine Information Systems (MARIS, NL), EMODnet Data Ingestion Facility - EMODnet and its Data Ingestion Facility with ambassador programme to strategically target hidden and locked public and private marine data resources
  • Terje Thorsnes, Senior Geologist at Geological Survey of Norway - Involving industry data providers and users in marine data acquisition, management and sharing activities: experiences from the MAREANO Project
  • Paul Holthus, Founding President and CEO of the World Ocean Council (WOC) - The WOC Smart Ocean – Smart Industries Programme towards Coordinated, systematic engaging of ocean industries in data collection in support of ocean sustainable development and SDG 14

Interactive panel discussion with the audience:

  • Panel facilitator: Jonathan Williams (CEO, Marine Southeast)
  • Panelists:
    • Mike Osborne (Managing Director, Oceanwise, UK)
    • Erik Buch (Secretary General, EuroGOOS)
    • Gus Jeans (Managing Director, Oceanalysis, UK)

Register here to join our workshop!