Partners

Klaipėda University is represented by the Marine Research Institute, which is the leading marine research institution in Lithuania. The Institute conducts fundamental and applied research on marine and coastal environment and maritime technologies, aiming to facilitate science, study, and business cooperation, based on high-level scientific knowledge and the up-to-date open access research infrastructure of the Marine Valley. The Institute has long-term experience in developing regional and European online information systems, including AquaNIS, the information system on aquatic non-indigenous and cryptogenic species recorded in European seas and other world regions.

Role in the project: Klaipėda University as a partner contributes to all work packages in COMPLETE, is leading WP5 “Databases and user-friendly information support” and coordinates scientific activities within the project.

HELCOM (Baltic Marine Environment Protection Commission - Helsinki Commission) is the governing body of the Convention on the Protection of the Marine Environment of the Baltic Sea Area, known as the Helsinki Convention. The Contracting Parties are Denmark, Estonia, the European Union, Finland, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Russia and Sweden. HELCOM was established about four decades ago to protect the marine environment of the Baltic Sea from all sources of pollution through intergovernmental cooperation.
HELCOM's vision for the future is a healthy Baltic Sea environment with diverse biological components functioning in balance, resulting in a good ecological status and supporting a wide range of sustainable economic and social activities. In terms of maritime activities, the strategic goal of HELCOM is to have maritime activities in the Baltic Sea carried out in an environmentally friendly way. One of the main negative environmental effects of shipping and other activities at sea is the introduction of alien organisms via ships’ ballast water and hulls. Thus, in 2007 HELCOM countries agreed that to reach that goal, the management objective “No introductions of alien species from ships” was to be achieved.
Due to its international character shipping is regulated by global provisions accepted within the framework of the specialised organisation, notably the International Maritime Organization (IMO). In addition, in the Annex 4, Regulation 1, the Helsinki Convention establishes that the Contracting Parties shall co‐operate in the effective and harmonized implementation of rules adopted by the IMO in the Baltic Sea Area.

Role in the project: HELCOM has experience with regional implementation of strategies to limit alien species introductions and represents policymaking and management perspective. In the project, HELCOM has capacities to organize formal discussions on the project proposals involving relevant institutions from HELCOM countries contributing to the coordination and promotion of dialog between stakeholders, and also reinforcing strong scientific potential existing in the Baltic Sea. HELCOM will also contribute to the spread of the project development to the OSPAR area through the Joint HELCOM-OSPAR Task Group on BWMC Exemptions. In terms of activities, HELCOM will be responsible for the further development of the risk assessment tool under the HELCOM-OSPAR JHP, take part on the development of proposals to improve HELCOM monitoring manual on NIS, and participate on the process aiming to review and further develop the risk assessment, update the target species list and selection criteria under the HELCOM-OSPAR JHP.

The Finnish Environment Institute (SYKE) is represented by the Marine Research Centre. SYKE is a governmental research and expert organization. Research and development deal with changes in the environment, cause and effect relationships, means of resolving environmental problems and effects of policy measures. Marine research aims at producing information and new solutions that help decision-makers to promote the protection and sustainable use of the Baltic Sea. SYKE integrates a wide spectrum of marine and catchment research, climate change and socioeconomic research. Multidisciplinary research makes use of observations, experimental research, numerical models, prognoses and socioeconomic studies. SYKE is involved in EU activities as well as of international scientific and management bodies such as ICES and HELCOM.

Role in the project: Finnish Environment Institute leads the WP2 on NIS monitoring and takes part to all other work packages in COMPLETE

University of Gdansk with eleven faculties and almost twenty eight thousand students is the largest institution of higher education in northern Poland. An important aspect of its activity is also scientific research, conducted in a very wide range within national and international cooperation. University of Gdansk implements its motto of “in mari via tua”, and serves with knowledge and experience the development of the Pomerania and Baltic Sea regions, whose wealth is the very sea itself.

Role in the project: Leading task ‘Estimating biofouling potential and mapping risky area’ (WP2.3) and involvement in ten other tasks within WP2-WP6, collecting national data, promotion and communication with stakeholders.

University of Helsinki (UH) is the largest university in Finland, hosting an international community of almost 40 000 students, researchers and other personnel. UH produces scientific research of high international standards with a special emphasis on multidisciplinary solution-focused research. UH is represented by the Fisheries and Environment Management (FEM) group working in the Ecosystems and Environment Research Programme. The Baltic Sea is one of the focus areas of the programme, and the research covers a wide range of topics including e.g. coastal ecology, invasive species and anthropogenic changes in catchment areas. The FEM group is specialized in risk and decision analysis in the Baltic Sea area, with the applications covering e.g. environmental risks of shipping, marine spatial planning, and fisheries management.

Role in the project: UH is responsible for activity 5.2 (Decision support tool for selection of optimal antifouling system and cleaning options) and participates in other activities as well.

The department of Mechanics and Maritime Sciences (M2) conducts fundamental and applied research in all modes of transport to achieve sustainable technological solutions. The department holds one of Sweden’s most extensive simulator centre for navigation and propulsion of ships, as well as world class laboratories within combustion engineering and wind tunnels. The department also offers and contributes to bachelor and master programs in areas such as Shipping, Automotive and Mechanical Engineering to mention a few. In addition, professional education is performed on both a national and international level, with specially designed mission training for different social actors, within our ambition for a lifelong learning. The department continuously strives to establish a cooperation between academia, industry, and society, with a great focus on utilisation. The department is characterised by an international environment with employees and students from around the world, as well as outstanding research and world class education. The department consists of seven different divisions within the areas of engineering and maritime sciences, and one division of administration and support.

Role in project: Chalmers is responsible for activity 4.3 (Guidance on antifouling systems cost efficiency evaluation) and also participates in other activities

BSH is the federal German maritime authority and therefore e.g. responsible for measures to prevent the introduction of harmful aquatic organisms and pathogens by ships. To successfully fulfill its tasks, the department "Environmental Protection in Maritime Traffic" consists of a multidisciplinary team of lawyers, biologists and engineers. They work in close cooperation with competent authorities of other countries and are active in international panels and committees such as IMO (MEPC, PPR), HELCOM (MARITIME, TG Ballast), OSPAR (COBAM) and ICES (WGBOSV, WGITMO). BSH co-chairs the HELCOM/OSPAR TG Ballast and has long time experience in ballast water related management issues and dialogue of relevant stakeholders.

Role in the project: BSH leads WP 4, is responsible for activities 3.1, 3.4, 3.5, 4.1 and 4.2, and contributes to many other activities.

South-Eastern Finland University of Applied Sciences (Xamk) is a higher education institution that profiles as a strong implementer of research, development and innovation (RDI) activities, with over 170 ongoing projects annually and with a combined budget of approximately EUR 48 million. Based on external financing alone, it is Finland’s largest University of Applied Sciences in the field of RDI. Xamk has over 200 partners and continually cooperates with different national companies and organizations, universities and research centres. At the international level, the RDI activities are mainly focused on Europe, the Baltic Sea Region and Russia. Logistics, Marine technology and transport is one of the four RDI focus areas of Xamk, located in city of Kotka, in Kymenlaakso region. Xamk’s applied research focuses on maritime safety and managing environmental risks related to the maritime operations. Main research topics include pollution prevention and spill response management, maritime emergency response and distress operations.

Role in the project: Xamk's role in the COMPLETE-project is to assess the benefits of biofouling management for ship speed, fuel consumption and gaseous emissions by carrying out large scale onboard emission measurements and crew member interviews, the aim of which is to collect operating experiences on biofouling management's impact on ship performance. Xamk also participates in the development of a tool for evaluating optimal hull cleaning intervals and collection of water samples before and after in-water hull cleaning. Large-scale measurements are carried out in cooperation with the associated shipping companies.

The University of Tartu is represented by the Estonian Marine Institute, which is the leading marine research institution in Estonia. Main activities include marine environmental monitoring, fish stock assessments as well as basic scientific research in the fields of marine ecology, oceanography, fish ecology, marine optics and marine chemistry. In many specific fields of marine science, UTARTU is the leading research institution in the Baltic Sea region and collaborates with many research establishments in the field of various marine science disciplines of all over the world (incl. North America, Australasia and Africa) in the framework of international research projects and networks of excellence. Involved in activities of international scientific and management bodies such as ICES and HELCOM.

Role in the project: University of Tartu as a partner contributes to all work packages in COMPLETE with co-lead role in WP3

The Keep the Archipelago Tidy Association (Pidä Saaristo Siistinä ry) is a Finnish environmental organisation for boaters and all those travelling in and around Finnish waterways. The Association serves the archipelago and coastal regions, as well as the network of lakes in the Finnish Lakeland region. The task and aim of the Association is to keep Finland’s coastlines and archipelago clean, and to support opportunities for recreational boating and the enjoyment of all the waterways in and around Finland. The activities of the Association are diverse and concrete, from environmental maintenance tasks and educational work to national and international project work.

Role in the project: Keep the archipelago will be leading activity WP 2.2: Assessment of biofouling for leisure boats, which includes developing a sampling protocol for leisure boats and recommendations for mitigating risks related to biofouling of leisure boats.

Latvian Institute of Aquatic Ecology (LIAE) is a research institute, Agency of Daugavpils University, with an expertise in functioning and health of marine and freshwater ecosystems, cooperating actively with related institutions around the Baltic Sea. LIAE is the leading marine research institution in Latvia conducting both basic and applied research in marine biology, chemistry and ecotoxicology. The main research directions include long-term dynamics of marine ecosystems, biogeochemical processes in water and sediments, marine biodiversity and ecology of non-indigenous species, ecotoxicological properties and ecosystem health assessment, ecosystem approach in maritime spatial planning and involvement in novel use of marine resources. Recently developed research directons are paleolimnology, freshwater ecosystem restoration and moder pollution – microplastics studies.

Role in the project: Latvian Institute of Aquatic Ecology leads the WP6 on stakeholder involvement and strategy development processes and takes part to all other work packages in COMPLETE