CSIRO Deploys World-First Sensors in Great Barrier Reef
Australia’s national science agency, CSIRO, has installed specialized sensors on Darumbal Sea Country in the Southern Great Barrier Reef to help monitor and forecast sediment run-off, which impacts the UNESCO World Heritage site’s marine ecosystem.The reef is one of seven test sites for CSIRO’s AquaWatch Australia Mission, which is creating a world-first ‘weather service’ for water quality using a combination of specialized sensors and satellite data.Dr Alex Held, CSIRO’s AquaWatch Mission Lead, said the project has the potential to support planning decisions in
Iberdrola to Install its First-ever Floating Solar Plant in Brazil
Spanish renewable energy company Iberdrola has chosen Brazil as a place where it plans to install its first ever floating solar plant.The project will be built on the water surface of the Xaréu dam on the island of Fernando de Noronha, recognized by UNESCO as a World Natural Heritage Site.This initiative is carried out together with Companhia Pernambucana de Saneamento (Compesa), which operates the water and sewage distribution network throughout the island, and with the support of the Energy Efficiency Programme regulated by the Brazilian National Electric Energy Agency (Aneel).With an output
Insights from the 50th International Congress of Maritime Museums
, director of the museum, said the space aims to be a “bridge between history and legend, between waking and dream, between the past and the future.”Plotting a course for ICMM’s futureThe week’s proceedings, complete with activities like a trip to Lunenburg, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and a ride on the historical Bluenose II schooner, rounded out a week of extensive discussions around oceanic history, climate science and the future of maritime museum work. It also set the tone for the next congress, slated for 2024 in the Low Countries.Additionally, this year’s ICMM
Great Barrier Reef Hit By Bleaching as UNESCO Weighs 'In Danger' Listing
hit by bleaching due to heat stress, the Australian agency that manages the reef said on Friday, ahead of a visit by United Nations officials reviewing whether the reef should be listed as being "in danger".Australia last year dodged an "in danger" listing for the reef, a World Heritage site, for a second time, after heavy lobbying by Canberra led UNESCO to postpone a decision to this year. The Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority said in a weekly update most of the marine park had been hit by "significant heat stress" over the summer, with water temperatures in
Inmarsat Provides Connectivity for OceanGate's 2021 Titanic Survey Expedition
The OceanGate Expeditions 2021 Titanic Survey Expedition was connected by Inmarsat’s satellite communications. Inmarsat kept the OceanGate Expeditions crew connected with team members and support services during the six-week expedition to document the maritime heritage site located over 400 miles off the coast of Newfoundland in the North Atlantic Ocean.“The OceanGate Expeditions’ Titanic Survey Expedition has taken Inmarsat full circle,” said Eric Griffin, VP Offshore and High End Fishing, Inmarsat. “In response to the sinking of the Titanic and the appalling loss of life
Ocean Trash: Putting a Price Tag on "Cleaning up Tuna Nets and Flip Flops" on the Aldabra Atoll
Following a five-week clean-up on Aldabra Atoll, one of Seychelles’ UNESCO World Heritage Site, where 25 tons of marine plastic litter was removed, researchers at Oxford University have estimated that the cost to clean up the entire island is approximately $4.68 million, requiring 18,000 hours of labor.This is the largest accumulation of plastic waste reported for any single island in the world.Their projected costs and recommendations were published recently in Nature Scientific Reports and it is reportedly the first time that the financial cost for removing the waste has been calculated.
New Water Level Measuring Stations in the Wadden Sea
The Wadden Sea is an intertidal zone that lies between the coast of northwest Europe and the low-lying Frisian Islands. It consists of a shallow body of water with tidal flats and wetlands. Listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site due to its diverse nature, it is an area of strict environmental conservation.MacArtney has delivered six measuring stations to a German energy supplier in May this year including six Tide Masters designed by British manufacturer Valeport, equipped with Data Telemetry Units. The Tide Master device acts as a water level recorder; it can accurately record the height of the water
Globalstar Satellite Technology to Combat North Sea Pollution
, Managing Director of Mellumrat e.V., an NGO dedicated to conservation and scientific research of the uninhabited island of Mellum, one of the 32 Frisian Islands in the North Sea expanse being studied by the University of Oldenburg team. Mellum is situated in the intertidal Wadden Sea, a UNESCO World Heritage Site protecting more than 10,000 species of plants and animals, and where up to 12 million migrating birds spend time each year. “The study is playing an important role in helping to identify the source of the plastic litter. It is also showing unexpected drift movement; we usually
Wreck of WWI German U-boat Sub Found off Belgium
the exact location of the wreck to deter looters. "Of the 11 downed U-Boats in Belgian waters, this one is the best preserved example," the province of West Flanders said. Belgium's North Sea minister said he would investigate whether the wreck could be recognised as a heritage site. Reporting by Robert-Jan Bartunek
February 2024
