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north.io co-hosts largest EU-funded UXO remediation workshop in Kiel

Krueger & Neumann Jun 6, 2024

Press Release Event

north.io co-hosts largest EU-funded UXO remediation workshop in Kiel

Kiel, Germany. north.io, in collaboration with the University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein (UKSH) and K.U.M., is organizing the largest workshop of its kind on unexploded ordnance (UXO) remediation in the region. The event, co-hosting the EU Interreg REMARCO and MUNIMAP projects, will take place from June 11th to June 13th, 2024, at the UKSH of Kiel and the PUMPE e.V. cultural center in Kiel.

"Collaboration is the cornerstone of innovation. By gathering our project partners from the North Sea and the Baltic Sea for this joint workshop in Kiel, we move environmental protection and digitization forward, making UXO management a truly European topic", says Dr Meike Klischies, marine geologist at north.io. Together with Dr Jennifer Strehse from UKSH and Arne Schwenk from K.U.M., she organises the event.

The choice of Kiel as the location for the workshops is not a coincidence. "Schleswig-Holstein is of strategic importance as the meeting point between the North Sea and the Baltic Sea, making it an ideal location for addressing the challenges of naval UXO in both seas," explains Arne Schwenk, CTO at K.U.M. "As a leader in digitalisation and environmental protection, Schleswig-Holstein offers a fertile backdrop for discussing innovative solutions in UXO management," Schwenk adds.

As a toxicologist, Dr Jennifer Strehse from UKSH is acutely aware of the potential harm UXOs pose to the marine ecosystems and, by extension, to human health. “The intersection of environmental protection and public health is where we find the true significance of UXO remediation. This workshop is a crucial step towards a safer and healthier future for our seas and the communities that depend on them.

REMARCO and MUNIMAP: Pioneers in UXO Remediation

The REMARCO (Remediation, Management, Monitoring, and Cooperation addressing North Sea UXO) project was launched last August at the Alfred Wegener Institute (AWI) in Bremerhaven. “Within the frame of the EU Interreg North Sea Region Programme, we are committed to curbing marine pollution. Our focus is on effective UXO risk management and the development of monitoring and remediation strategies to safeguard our vulnerable ecosystems”, says Dr. Matthias Brenner, Biologist at AWI and coordinator of the REMARCO Interreg project.

REMARCO: north.io will provide software for data linking, risk assessment and visualisation and adapt it to the workflows and needs of the project participants. The software will facilitate access to the available data and investigation results and thus provide an important decision-making aid that is essential for complex projects such as the remediation of undersea unexploded ordnance.

The MUNIMAP project kicked off in Sopot (Poland) in February this year and focuses on the Baltic Sea and Skagerrak, aiming to accelerate and coordinate remediation efforts at the regional level.

The inaugural MUNIMAP meeting brought together not only project partners but also representatives from associated organizations, including government and local authorities, NGOs, and the offshore and maritime industry. The inaugural MUNIMAP meeting brought together not only project partners but also representatives from associated organizations, including government and local authorities, NGOs, and the offshore and maritime industry.

The project is led by Institute of Oceanology of Polish Academy of Sciences (IOPAN). “Building on previous successful Interreg projects, MUNIMAP seeks to harmonize national processes and ensure the safe and environmentally friendly remediation of dumped munitions. Similar to REMARCO, it also includes UXO management and monitoring strategy issues”, explains Prof. Jacek Bełdowski, head of the Laboratory of Contemporary Threats to Marine Ecosystems at IOPAN and coordinator of the MUNIMAP Interreg project.

north.io will support the MUNIMAP project with software that supports the monitoring and risk assessment of dumped munitions. The software will automate and simplify the merging and targeted distribution of data and analyses.

Workshop Highlights

This new workshop brings together experts from universities, research institutions, navies, government authorities, and private companies to identify synergies across both projects and develop collaboration strategies. The workshop aims to identify synergies across projects and develop collaboration strategies, reflecting the comprehensive approach necessary to effectively tackle UXO issues.

Key activities will include:

Interactive workshop: Led by north.io, hands-on collaborative activities fostering innovative software solutions in UXO data handling.
Synergy workshop: Featuring all project partners and the advisory board of experts discussing collaboration strategies, joint expeditions, and future activities.
Networking Opportunities: Facilitating collaboration among stakeholders to promote knowledge exchange and foster partnerships.

north.io's Role in UXO Management

As a geodata cloud specialist based in Kiel, north.io has developed innovative methods to streamline risk management, incorporate environmental data, and to locate military remnants in the North and Baltic Seas using artificial intelligence. north.io provides insights into how historical documents and deep learning algorithms are utilized to pinpoint munitions, enabling safe and efficient clearance by authorities.

“After organising the Kiel Munitions Clearance Week in 2021, we are delighted to see so many international experts gathered in Kiel again. We are proud to contribute our expertise to the projects as one of only five industry partners in this community of experts from over 30 organisations," says Jann Wendt, environmental geographer and CEO of north.io. “Nobody but us is going into the same technical depth of raw ocean data processing, he adds.

The work of north.io has significantly contributed to marine safety and environmental protection, earning them the prestigious "Best of Digitales.SH" award in 2021. This workshop will further highlight the importance of AI in addressing UXO-related challenges and showcase their commitment to pioneering solutions in this critical field.

Participants

Representatives from the following organization will participate in Kiel:

Journalists can join the event in Kiel

We cordially invite journalists to an exclusive press briefing as part of our workshop on UXO remediation.

The press briefing will take place on June 12, 2024, at 10:30 am at Galerie (on the 2nd floor) at Die Pumpe, Kultur- und Kommunikationszentrum, Haßstr. 22, 24103 Kiel

To register for the briefing, please contact our press team via presse@north.io or call +49 431 363054-10

Our experts, including Jann Wendt, CEO of north.io, along with representatives from the REMARCO and MUNIMAP projects, will be available for interviews and background discussions. Learn firsthand about the latest advancements in AI-driven munitions clearance and pioneering approaches to protecting our seas.

We look forward to your participation!

For further information

Project Websites:

https://www.interregnorthsea.eu/remarco

https://interreg-baltic.eu/project/munimap/

Munitions in the Sea

If you would like to learn more about the topic of munitions in the sea, you can find a good overview in the conference summary of the Kiel Munition Clearance Week, which north.io organised in 2021 with the support of the state of Schleswig-Holstein.