Fugro Joins EU Mission to Create Europe's Oceanic Digital Twin

Fugro has joined a Horizon Europe-funded project, Oceanity, to help create a digital twin of Europe's oceans and seas. Led by the Euro-Mediterranean Centre on Climate Change, the project will develop the European Digital Twin Ocean from September 2026 to August 2029, generating insights into navigation, community development and environmental management. The digital twin will combine advanced modelling, artificial intelligence and Earth observation, enabling stakeholders to explore what-if scenarios before taking action.

 

Details of the Project

 

A major EU project has begun. It aims to create a digital twin of the oceans. This covers Europe's seas and oceans. It will generate insights across several areas. These span navigation and environmental management.

The project has a defined structure. A consortium of organisations leads it. The Euro-Mediterranean Centre on Climate Change heads it. The project is called Oceanity. It runs from September 2026 to August 2029.

 

The Applications

 

The project will develop specific applications. These cover the European Digital Twin Ocean. Three applications are planned. One addresses coastal and urban resilience. This concerns resilience to climate change.

The other applications serve further needs. One covers marine spatial planning. Another addresses sustainable maritime operations. These applications support varied decisions. They span coasts, oceans and maritime activity.

 

Fugro's Role

 

Fugro has taken on specific responsibilities. It will help co-design the applications. It will also manage stakeholder engagement. It connects the technology to user requirements. Real-world use cases are also within its scope.

The company sees clear value in the work. It cited increasingly complex marine choices. Climate change and environmental stressors drive this. Effective action depends on reliable insights. The company expects the twin to provide these.

 

Read More: https://oceaneconomist.com/articles/peruvian-navy-ses-satellite-connectivity

 

The Technology

 

The digital twin combines advanced technologies. It will use advanced modelling. Artificial intelligence is also central. Earth observation contributes data. Socio-economic data completes the inputs.

These enable powerful scenario testing. Users can explore what-if scenarios. This happens before taking action. It shows how choices affect people and ecosystems. Economies are also part of these assessments.

 

The Validation Approach

 

The applications will be rigorously tested. They will be validated through use cases. There are 10 use cases in total. These span all four EU sea basins. These cover the Mediterranean and Baltic among others.

The project integrates diverse processes. These include physical and biogeochemical processes. Hydrological and socio-economic processes feature too. These form AI-enhanced frameworks. New services such as ship routeing will be added.

 

Significance of the Project

 

The project addresses pressing challenges. Climate and environmental pressures are growing. Marine space faces increasing demands. Decision-makers need reliable insights. The digital twin aims to provide these.

Fugro emphasised the human dimension. Company leadership stressed enabling decision-making. The technology's power lies in its use. The aim is to reach those who need it. This turns ocean data into confident action.