Pilot Site 2: Smart Marina
Smart Marina
Seamless Monitoring and Sustainable Navigation
Located in Rijeka, the Smart Marina pilot site acts as a crucial testing ground for real-time maritime monitoring, long-term data collection, and methodologies supporting autonomy of marine vehicles. This pilot site is designed as a moored research platform intended for scientific research purposes. The platform will be permanently moored in Port Torpedo, Rijeka.
Research Infrastructure
The key infrastructure features a permanently moored research platform constructed from high-density polyethylene, offering a 12×9 m footprint for aquatic operations. Within this 100 m² space, a dedicated 30 m² office and workshop unit provides a functional workspace for five to six researchers and engineers. Access is managed through a smart lock integrated with a video surveillance system, ensuring secure and monitored entry at all times.
The equipment includes a crane with a minimum lifting moment of 2.6 tm and a hydraulic reach of at least 3.7 m, while the easily accessible rooftop features a rollbar designed as a versatile mount for additional equipment. To ensure continuous operation, the system is powered by a solar panel and battery setup governed by an automatic transfer switch. This switch intelligently manages energy by following a strict priority sequence that transitions from shore power to solar, then to battery power, and finally to a generator as needed.
Scientific Equipment
The platform is equipped with:
- subsurface profiling float designed to operate on coastal environment and perform measurements, with the CTD (conductivity, temperature, depth) sonde integrated
- uncrewed surface vehicle (USV) for sheltered and coastal waters. Robust and effective, designed for precise data acquisition, environmental monitoring, and surveillance. Payload options: lidar and 360° cameras, MBES bathymetric sonar, inspection lidar in the vertical plane. Real-time data from cameras and lidar help researchers develop and validate algorithms enabling autonomy, e.g. docking. The USV seamlessly offloads data for long-term analysis, enabling in-depth insights into maritime traffic and port operations.
Fostering a Smarter, Greener Marine Environment
By merging subsurface environmental sensors with situational awareness of the uncrewed surface vehicle, Smart Marina drives the development of cutting-edge solutions that make marinas safer, more efficient, and more sustainable. Researchers, industry stakeholders, and policy-makers gain a comprehensive understanding of maritime dynamics – supporting informed decision-making, minimizing environmental impacts, and propelling the blue economy toward a greener future.
