Identification of new and cross-cutting technologies and solutions to boost blue growth.

Abstract

The Europe 2020 strategy clearly signalled the importance of industrial competitiveness for growth and jobs as well as for Europe’s ability to address societal challenges. In this context, mastering and deploying "enabling and cross cutting technologies" will be critical in developing new products and services needed to deliver a smart and sustainable knowledge-based maritime economy. Advanced technologies will become essential for a sustainable management of our seas, for the development of the blue growth agenda and for a better understanding of the marine environment in a context of increasing pressure of human activities and the growing vulnerability of our coastal areas. However, the broad range of topics and issues related to the development of marine and maritime technologies is extending from traditional maritime industries such as fisheries, maritime transport and dredging to fast pace & cutting edge emerging blue growth sectors such as ocean energy and blue biotech. The technology frontiers are constantly evolving thus demanding continuous monitoring and surveillance of technological developments. An example of such a rapidly evolving frontier is biotechnology and genomics for marine monitoring1 . Substantial mapping work has been performed at EU level in marine and maritime research and technologies by various organizations such as SEAS-ERA , BONUS, the European Marine Board, and MARTEC ERA-net to name but a few. However, these mapping activities despite their relevance and quality, are too often focusing on specific disciplines, sectors or geographical areas, and fail to look to the intersections between sectors and disciplines. This is exactly where JPI Oceans adds value. JPI Oceans aims to address broad priority areas which lie at the intersections of the marine environment, climate change and human activities (see figure 1).