nir-vana innovation network

The core business of the Greek SME relies mainly on deep scientific knowledge and suitable data flows incorporated into new technologies in order to meet end-users needs. The company has developed a pilot forecasting platform providing sea characteristics and other support services, on high local resolution, for the Mediterranean and the Greek seas, in the framework of a bilateral national funded project. It serves forecasting data comprising results from in-house models, Copernicus Marine Service (CMS) datasets and empirical estimations resulting from the forecasted parameters. The system is fully customizable and can provide the base of a wide range, tailored-made services such as APIs (Application Programming Interfaces), visualizations, data flows, charts, consultancy etc., necessary to a wide range of near-shore and offshore applications.

The forecasting platform has been operationally active online since the end of 2020. The system combines four core building blocks. First, interconnected forecast models for wind and sea waves, developed in house. Second, automated acquisition of various marine forecast parameters and storage from Copernicus Marine Service (CMS). Third, a calculation and visualization engine for all associated datasets. Fourth, an interactive web interface and a mobile application. All four building blocks have been structured into an automated chain of processes which is functioning on a daily operationally basis, without external interaction. The system provides every day a three-day length marine forecast of various parameters for the Mediterranean sea and the Greek seas, in increasing height of spatial resolution, from 18x18 km, up to 2x2 km. The visualizations and color scales, for every parameter, have been carefully developed to provide users all the necessary information at an eye’s glance.

Both the web interface and the mobile app provide users the capability to register in order to be further informed by statistically developed empirical parameters focusing, currently, to swimming and sailing activities. The empirical parameters are estimated on the base of forecasted parameters and provide focused and user-friendly information. For example, instead of sea surface temperature, an empirical scale is provided of swimming performance or water feeling, resulting from the forecasted water temperature. If requested, this functionality can be further developed to cover specific needs of other target group activities such as fishing, aquaculturing, surfing, diving, infrastructure design, etc.

Moreover, the system is fully customizable and can provide the base of a wide range of sub-services (such as tailor-made APIs, visualizations, data flows, charts, consultancy etc) necessary to a wide range of near-shore and offshore applications.

The Greek company is seeking for end-users for the platform from several different areas. The platform will be customized according to the needs of the end-user. The cooperation sought will be commercial agreement. Also sought strategic partnerships in order to investigate together pathways of commercial exploitation of the platform in European and worldwide markets under joint venture agreement. Participation in research & development projects is another potential collaboration.

Advantages & innovations

The platform is an integrated solution that covers thoroughly the need for forecasting the sea state, using advanced technology and satellite data. There is scarcity of such offered solutions, able to cover any sea of the globe. The platform offers integrated solutions with components such as software (data analytics, data collection, data discovery and visualization, data management) and services (consulting, system integration, operation and maintenance). The main advantage of the platform is the fact that it is a mature product, ready to function commercially in any operational environment and not a scientific or research solution. Other advantages of the platform include the ability to offer customized and tailor-made sub-services, transformed, transferable and magnified at the end-users request. These include APIs, customized forecasting localized results, custom visualizations, graphs, various data formats and flows, front-end applications and back-end processes. Regarding the technical level, the system provides trustworthy forecasts extensively validated, either by in house quality checks or by the validity mechanisms of the Copernicus ecosystem. The spatial and temporal resolutions offer great local detail and can be further optimized in visualization and statistical terms, in order to meet the highest end-users specific needs.

Stage of development

Available for demonstration

Partner sought

The Greek company is looking for three types of partners. First, end-users from both public and private sectors interested to have sea forecasts offered by the platform. Companies or organizations such as oceanographers, sea wind parks, oil & gas industries, tourism companies, public authorities related to search & rescue activities at sea, aquaculture companies, environmental management authorities, shipping, fishing, coastal construction companies are some of the potential end-users for commercial agreements with technical assistance. The platform will be customized, according to the specific needs of the user. Second, strategic partners as business enablers to act together in order to investigate pathways of commercial exploitation of the platform, such as IT or environmental companies that could join the Greek company for exploit together the potential market. The collaboration in this case will be joint venture agreement. Third, partners for research & development projects in which the platform could contribute with useful results.