north.io Selected for Portuguese Hydrographic Institute Project

The TrueOcean data platform from German cloud-geospatial-data-specialist north.io has been officially selected to participate in the IHSensortech BlueTech initiative of the Instituto Hidrográfico of the Portuguese Navy.

The IHSensortech BlueTech Program aims to foster innovation in marine sensor technologies and data management. The program is designed to address current challenges in marine data collection, processing, and analysis by supporting the development and implementation of advanced technologies.

The selection of north.io is part of the "Hydrographic Data Consolidation Software Development" challenge which aims to develop an application for integrating geographic information that can process and determine which information takes precedence based on a set of user-defined constraints.

The Instituto Hidrográfico is responsible for hydrographic surveys, nautical charting, and oceanographic research. As a key maritime service, it plays a crucial role within NATO, contributing to the alliance's collective maritime security and defense strategies. The Instituto provides vital data and expertise that support both national and NATO operations, ensuring safe navigation and effective maritime defense.

The program will be carried out in collaboration with the Portugal Blue Digital Hub. This Hub aims to foster the development of cutting-edge technologies that can revolutionize the processing and utilization of hydrographic data.

The next phase will be a so-called Co-Design Sprint from October 14 to 18. This is an intensive “bootcamp” that will connect the north.io participants and 14 other companies directly with other industry professionals, providing exclusive insights and opportunities to advance the project. The program concludes with a showcase day in 2024, where the results of the co-creation process will be presented.

north.io’s involvement in the project complements its work on Project Argus funded by the German Ministry for Digital and Transport. This initiative, titled "Automated Recognition of Ghost Ships and Underwater Surveillance" (Argus), focuses on the protection of critical underwater infrastructure. With a grant of 2.7 million euros, the project aims to develop an advanced data management platform that integrates cloud technology, geoinformatics and artificial intelligence to systematically monitor and protect underwater assets.

The Argus project addresses the challenges posed by "ghost ships"—vessels that deliberately conceal their position—and aims to provide real-time data analysis for underwater infrastructure. Collaborating with the GEOMAR-Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel and Subsea Europe Services GmbH, north.io says it is set to transform how geodata is utilized for security and decision-making, ultimately enhancing Germany's capacity to safeguard critical maritime infrastructure.