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Cyprus declares Turkey-Libya maritime agreement illegal

20 October 2026 at 18:16

Cyprus’ foreign ministry on Friday declared the maritime boundary agreement signed by the governments of Turkey and Libya to be both “illegal” and “null and void” after it was ratified by the Libyan parliament earlier in the day.

“The Republic of Cyprus’ foreign ministry condemns the Libyan parliament’s decision to approve the illegal Turkish-Libyan ‘memorandum of understanding’ of 2019. This ‘memorandum’ violates the sovereign rights of third states and is contrary to the recognised principles of the United Nations convention on the law of the sea,” it said.

It added that the agreement also violates “customary international law regarding the rights of islands in maritime zones, including the exclusive economic zone and the continental shelf”.

“Therefore, the foreign ministry continues to consider the said ‘memorandum’ illegal, null and void, and that it does not produce, in any way, legal effects against third states,” it said.

The Libyan parliament’s spokesman Abdullah Bliheg had said earlier in the day that the legislature had “voted unanimously” to adopt the agreement, on a day on which Turkey’s national intelligence organisation (Mit)’s chief Ibrahim Kalin was in the country to meet Libya’s government of national unity’s Prime Minister Abdulhamid Dibeybe.

Turkey had signed an agreement with the Libyan government of national accord in 2019, but it had not until Tuesday been ratified by Libya’s legislature. The government of national unity superseded the government of national accord in 2021 and is now the sole internationally recognised government of Libya.

Turkey and Libya officially agree that their EEZs share a border

As a result of the agreement, Libya and Turkey agree that their respective exclusive economic zones share a border in the Mediterranean sea, and that that border is located southeast of the Greek island of Crete.

Greece, too, reacted furiously to the Libyan parliament’s approval of the deal, with the country’s foreign ministry that it “rejects” it and that the decision “does not change the illegal, null and void nature of the memorandum, which is contrary to the international law of the sea and violates the sovereign rights of the states of the region”.

“Geography and the international law of the sea do not change with unilateral, legally unfounded parliamentary decisions. Turkey and Libya do not have opposing or adjacent coasts which would provide a legal basis for the attempted delimitation of maritime zones,” it added.

It then said that the agreement “also disregards the Greek islands and their rights to maritime zones based on [the United Nations convention on the law of the sea] Unclos and customary international law”.

“Having already concluded maritime delimitation agreements with Egypt and Italy, in accordance with the international law of the sea, Greece has demonstrated its respect for international law and the sovereign rights of neighbouring states. We call on the Libyan side to refrain from any action which is contrary to international law and undermines stability in the eastern Mediterranean,” it said.

It added that it has “already informed its partners and allies” and that it will “take all appropriate action to safeguard its sovereign rights”.

Libya’s parliament

Turkey is not an Unclos signatory, Libya signed but did not ratify

In this, the country’s Foreign Minister Giorgos Gerapetritis had earlier held a telephone call with his Cypriot counterpart Constantinos Kombos shortly after the Libyan parliament voted on the matter.

While Greece and the Republic of Cyprus are signatories to Unclos, Turkey is not, and while Libya under its then leader Muammar Gadaffi signed the convention in 1984, no Libyan legislature ever ratified the signature.

Turkey’s belief is that the convention gives too much weight to islands, which it says should instead only be allowed 12 nautical miles of territorial waters as their own exclusive economic zone (EEZ), whereas Greece believes that its islands are entitled to full EEZs of their own.

As such, Turkey’s view is that its own EEZ stretches south to meet Libya’s EEZ, and as of Wednesday, Libya agrees, whereas Greece’s position is that Turkey and Libya do not share a maritime border because the sea in question belongs to Crete.

Given this to be the case, Turkey’s presidential press office director Burhanettin Duran described Tuesday’s vote as “an important advancement towards protecting the shared rights and interests of both nations in the eastern Mediterranean, establishing maritime jurisdiction areas on the basis of equity, and strengthening regional cooperation”.

“Under the leadership of our President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Turkey will continue to safeguard its rights and interests within the Blue Homeland, while further developing its relations with friendly and brotherly Libya and promoting equitable resource sharing, peace, and stability in the eastern Mediterranean”.

Libya approves Maritime Memorandum with Turkey

20 October 2026 at 13:36

Libya’s parliament ⁠approved a maritime agreement ⁠with ​Turkey ⁠and ⁠revoked ‌a ⁠2020 ​boycott decision ‌on Tuesday, two ​members of ‌parliament told ​Reuters. The maritime delimitation accord was signed with non-neighboring Libya in 2019, Reuters reported on Tuesday. The Turkey-Libya maritime memorandum has been opposed by Greece and even the EU top diplomat has said that […]

The post Libya approves Maritime Memorandum with Turkey appeared first on Keep Talking Greece.

Russia quietly grows fleet that funds its war: one shell firm in Marshall Islands buys two gas tankers from Chinese and Greek owners

10 October 2026 at 16:11

Two weathered cargo ships sail across a dark sea beneath heavy storm clouds.

Ukraine has published data on 20 vessels that carry Russian oil and liquefied natural gas or refuel the sanctioned fleet, parts of the logistics network the Kremlin uses to fund its war, Ukraine's Defense Intelligence reports. All 20 are under British or Ukrainian sanctions, and only one faces US restrictions.

Russia’s shadow fleet runs on roughly 500 aging ships of uncertain ownership that dodge sanctions and keep oil money flowing. That seaborne oil trade is worth more than 80 billion euros a year.

The headline vessel is the Russian ship Portovyy, an LNG carrier and floating gas store owned by the sanctioned Gazprom since 2021, according to the agency. On 15 August 2026, it left the Gulf of Finland with Russian LNG for the first time since November 2021, sailing the Northern Sea Route to the Chinese port of Beihai to unload.

Portovyy is now at the Zhoushan Huafeng Shipyard in China, which has been set as the site for its maintenance, intelligence says, an example of the foreign yards Kyiv wants closed to the sanctioned fleet.

Russia buys up gas carriers through shells

Two more gas carriers show how Moscow expanded the fleet in spring 2026 through front companies, intelligence said. The Avacha, once owned by China’s Jovo Energy, was bought by the little-known Tudor Maritime of the Marshall Islands, took the Russian flag in June, and now ships gas from the Arctic LNG 2 project to Beihai.

The Chaivo, formerly owned by Greece’s Maran Gas Maritime, was also bought by Tudor Maritime and moved under the Russian flag in July. Now it carries cargo to Beihai from a floating gas storage facility off Kamchatka, intelligence says.

A call to close the loopholes

Intelligence urged partners to act together: tighten control over sales of commercially owned ships, block servicing of the sanctioned fleet at foreign yards, and cut off the energy revenue that Russia turns into weapons against civilians.

Russia is building ice-class ships at home and, at the same time, widening its shadow fleet through offshore networks. The UK Foreign Office made the same point on 1 October, saying Moscow is assembling a new shadow fleet to keep its gas revenues flowing.

Up a Creek

9 October 2026 at 17:48

Nearly 60 years ago, John McPhee rafted the Colorado River with a longtime Sierra Club reader and his nemesis, taking notes as the men argued over the fate of the land, the future of Lake Powell. Today, McPhee is 95 years old and widely acknowledged as a singuler chronicler of place, people, and time. As David Schurman Wallace notes, he also has “a good chance of outlasting the lake.” In a stimulating review of Encounters with Wild America, a four-book collection by McPhee, Wallace sets a master’s time-intensive and famously lengthy projects against the contemporary attention economy and the media industry. Longform writing didn’t spring from a hashtag; it was a natural outcome of applying narrative frames to complex subjects, including nature itself. Now, writes Wallace, “this work of dedicated attention, so essential to thinking about, say, the environment, is at risk of becoming a relic.”

[McPhee’s] work is an artifact, one that aids reflection, but demands you stop first and take things slowly. It’s no accident that the books that Library of America have chosen to canonize first are about nature and the people who inhabit it. To appreciate, or even just think about an expanse—a nearly deserted forest, a glacier, a stretch of tundra—is difficult. You can look at an image, but you can just as quickly turn away or scroll past. His writing is a tool that helps us feel distance. You have to spend time on the page getting to know it, trying to imagine things you will most likely never experience yourself.

Eurocidade Guadiana / Festival Overtime – Macerata (Italia)

9 October 2026 at 17:34

A Eurociudad del Guadiana projeta o seu modelo desportivo e transfronteiriço nos ACES Video Awards 2026 de Macerata. A Eurocidade do Guadiana está a participar de forma destacada nos ACES Video Awards 2026, um encontro celebrado na cidade italiana de Macerata no âmbito do festival Overtime, evento internacional dedicado à cultura, à ética e à […]

Il termometro-Istat non ha colpe

6 October 2026 at 08:50

Il deficit 2025 confermato dall’Istat al 3,1 per cento del Pil ha riacceso il dubbio che le prime stime sottovalutino l’economia. Ma le revisioni del Pil spostano il rapporto deficit/Pil di centesimi, non di decimi. E il problema non è chi fa i calcoli.

L'articolo Il termometro-Istat non ha colpe proviene da Lavoce.info.

ImproFish: Advancing the science behind herring fisheries in the Gulf of Bothnia

17 September 2026 at 08:30

Over recent decades, herrings in the Gulf of Bothnia have grown more slowly. Several factors could be behind these changes, but a clearer understanding of the actual causes is needed. Closing this knowledge gap is the aim of ImproFish.

Every year, scientists carry out research surveys in the Gulf of Bothnia to monitor the status of one of the most valuable fish species in the northern Baltic Sea: herring. Together with sprat, it forms the backbone of the region’s fishing industry, supports coastal communities and provides food for seals, seabirds and predatory fish higher up the food chain.

But despite this close monitoring, several knowledge gaps remain. Over recent decades, herrings in the Gulf of Bothnia have grown more slowly, reached maturity earlier and shown variations in weight and abundance. The research survey struggles with accurately understanding this fluctuation. 

Several factors could be behind these changes, from modifications in the food web to the fishery itself. But without a clearer understanding of the actual causes of these changes, it becomes harder to manage the fishery in a way that the stock becomes and then remains healthy over the long term, and fisheries managers are left trying to steer a stock that keeps changing shape beneath them.

Closing this knowledge gap is the aim of ImproFish. Coordinated by the Natural Resources Institute Finland (Luke) together with the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU), and co-funded by the EU through the European Maritime, Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund (EMFAF), the project runs from May 2024 to October 2026. Its goal is to provide a stronger scientific basis for assessing the herring stock in the Gulf of Bothnia, so that fisheries advice can finally catch up with what is actually happening in the sea.

As Laura Uusitalo, the project coordinator from Luke, explained:

“Healthy herring stocks are important for both marine ecosystems and coastal livelihoods. We believe that the new knowledge and methods developed in this project can improve the reliability of stock assessments and support better-informed quota setting for years to come.”

Three scientific advances for a healthier stock

Despite yearly combined acoustic and trawl survey, as well as extensive catch sampling, the assessment of the Gulf of Bothnia herring stock has remained uncertain for a long time. Stock Synthesis 3, a newer stock assessment model used since 2021, has improved stability, but significant gaps remain, especially regarding the abundance of young fish.

 ImproFish addresses this through three recommendations:

  • improving the fishery-independent abundance indices by extending the acoustic survey closer to the coast and taking into account oceanographic conditions such as temperature and wind-driven water mixing
  • deepening the understanding of what drives the growth and size of fish, in order to sharpen the reference points used in fisheries management 
  • identifying potential sub-populations, since early genetic findings point to a more complex population structure than previously assumed, with locally adapted groups 

Together, these improvements would make the stock assessment more biologically realistic and better aligned with ecosystem-based management, while still remaining achievable with a moderate research investment.

EU funding bringing two countries’ science together

Through ImproFish, EU funding is allowing Finland and Sweden to combine their analyses on the acoustic survey, herring catch sampling and genetic analyses across the Gulf of Bothnia, instead of each country conducting research on the shared stock on its own.

For fishing that spans the water of both countries, this joint effort finally makes it possible to study the stock with a more comprehensive data coverage, and bring the assessment and advice closer to ecosystem-based management.

This also contributes to the priority of the European Ocean Pact of protecting and restoring ocean health, while supporting a fishing sector that stays sustainable and economically viable for the communities who depend on it.

A fishery worth understanding better

Reaching this point requires as much work on the water as in the laboratory: acoustic surveys, genetic analyses, catch data from commercial fleets and growth data collected on research vessels like R/V Aranda directly feed into the improvements that ImproFish develops.

Most of these benefits will take shape over the medium and long term, but their reach may extend even further: since herring share many traits with other fish, the methods developed here could help scientists elsewhere in Europe facing similar uncertainties, well beyond the Gulf of Bothnia itself.

If you need further information, check the project website. Project website https://fisheries-rcg.eu/improfish/

Funding

Stakeholders

Coordinators

Natural Resources Institute Finland (LUKE), Finland

Website https://www.luke.fi/en

Participants

Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences / Department of Aquatic Resources (SLU), Sweden

Website https://www.slu.se/en/

Commission proposes extending the Bay of Biscay fishing closure to protect dolphins into winter 2027

8 September 2026 at 06:30

On 4 September, the Commission proposed extending the annual winter closure in the Bay of Biscay into winter 2027 for fishing vessels over eight metres to help prevent catches of common dolphins and other small cetaceans - which are strictly protected species under the EU Habitats Directive. For the fourth consecutive year, Belgium, France, Netherlands, Portugal and Spain have requested this closure, making use of the regionalised approach under the common fisheries policy. 

The Delegated Act will now be sent to the European Parliament and the Council of the EU for scrutiny before entering into force  

As proposed by the group of EU member states, the closure should run for a period of 30 consecutive days, to be taken between 15 January and 27 February 2027. Fishers will be able to notify their preferred closure period to their national authorities. 

This proposed new closure aims to increase operational flexibility for the fishing sector and reduce its economic impacts, while protecting dolphins during the period when bycatch risk is higher. This new flexible approach responds to a direct request from the fishing sector to better align the timing of the closure with fishing activities. 

In the absence of notification about their preferred dates to their national authorities, fishing vessels will be subject to the fixed closure period running from 22 January until 20 February 2027.   

Efforts to reduce common dolphin bycatch should continue, as advised by science and required under the Habitats Directive and the Marine Strategy Framework Directive, in line with the EU Biodiversity Strategy and the European Ocean Pact.  

Success in reducing dolphin mortality   

Since 2024, fishing closures in the Bay of Biscay have been effective in reducing incidental catches of dolphins. According to a report from the French observatory PELAGIS, dolphin mortality due to incidental catches in 2025 appeared significantly lower than those estimated prior to the closure (2017-2023).  

Financial support for fishing vessels  

Around 300 EU vessels are expected to be impacted by the proposed closure. Financial compensation is available through the European Maritime, Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund (EMFAF) or through state aid by member states. The EU offers financial support to fishers to acknowledge their efforts towards marine conservation and to protect their livelihoods, ensuring a sustainable and prosperous future for both ecosystems and fishing communities.  

Measures to reduce incidental catches  

During the selected closure period, vessels - pelagic and demersal trawls, seiners and netters - will be required to remain in port to avoid incidental catches of common dolphins and other small cetaceans. Scientists have identified this period as a high-risk for bycatches (unintentional capture of dolphins during fishing operations).  

Background  

All cetaceans, including common dolphins, are strictly protected under the Habitats Directive. Member states must establish a system to monitor their incidental capture and killing. Considering the information gathered, they must take further research or conservation measures to ensure that incidental capture and killing does not have a significant negative impact on the species concerned.   

The EU Biodiversity strategy for 2030 aims to eliminate or minimise by-catch so as not to threaten the conservation status of protected species. In line with these objectives, the European Ocean Pact sets out the Commission's commitment to support member states in protecting and restoring marine ecosystems. 

Winter strandings of dolphins and small cetaceans on the coasts of the Bay of Biscay have been a recurring challenge for the fishing sector and marine ecosystems. Contributing factors to these strandings include incidental catches in fishing nets, natural mortality, diseases, and disorientation.  

As part of efforts to reduce interactions between small cetaceans and fishing vessels, the fishing sector and Member States are investing in research and technical trials to develop and test new devices. Ongoing research projects on new devices and interaction with cetaceans include PIFIL, DolphinFree, Licado, Delmoges, iNOVPESCA and VaradaC. 

Study on competitiveness of EU sustainable blue economy sector: Focus on ocean observation technologies

3 September 2026 at 08:00

Understanding the EU sustainable blue economy's structure, performance and challenges in comparison with international competitors is the objection behind a new study, which needs participants for a survey.

The study is on competitiveness of EU sustainable blue economy sector: focus on ocean observation technologies, and is conducted by Cogea srl on behalf of the European Commission. under Framework Contract CINEA/2021/OP/0011 (Lot 2). .

Input will help ensure that future EU policies, funding programmes and support measures reflect industry realities and priorities of the European ocean observation sector.

Participants of this survey (which takes 10-20 minutes) will receive a summary of aggregated findings of the study and will be considered for featured case studies highlighting relevant companies in the European ocean observation sector, if you consent.

Companies and organizations developing, supplying or working with ocean observation technologies are invited to participate by 15 September.

Survey

Memory Architecture

2 September 2026 at 12:00

In a beautiful and vivid essay on home, time, and family, Diane Roberts reflects on the house that her parents built, and their family’s land in Leon County, Florida, to which she feels deeply connected. I especially love Roberts’s thoughts on a home versus a house—the latter is composed of construction materials, but “home implies a complex neural network of family association and feeling, layers of experience, a shared past.” Despite the tragedies the home holds, it is ultimately a place of memory and meaning.

Home and time are as tangled as the skunk vine and Confederate jasmine choking my backyard fence. I suppose that’s to be expected. My house holds our history and the indispensable relics of former houses, objects cherished by the now-dead: the tiny rocking chair my grandfather made for my mother when she was three; the 1960 TR3 in the barn my brother never quite got around to fixing; the two old rosebushes dug up from the Washington County farm, replanted at Great-Aunt Rilla’s house in Chipley, then dug up again and transported to our front yard. The house didn’t simply belong to us, it was us—our mother, our father, Brad, and me.

NEAFC measures to curb unsustainable Russian mackerel fishing enter into force

1 September 2026 at 06:00

Measures adopted by the North-East Atlantic Fisheries Commission (NEAFC) to address unsustainable Russian mackerel fishing in the North-East Atlantic officially enter into force. Initiated by a proposal from the European Union, these measures aim to protect mackerel stock currently under severe conservation pressure due to years of overfishing. 

In 2026, Russia unilaterally increased its quota to 67,548 tonnes, or 22.5% of the Total Allowable Catch (TAC), nearly five times its 2004 quota.

Key sustainability measures now in effect

The NEAFC measure sets a limit for Russian mackerel catches in international waters of 1,495 tonnes. Despite Russia’s objection, the measure prohibits other NEAFC members from facilitating Russia’s unsustainable fishing of mackerel in international waters in excess of that limit. Vessels from other NEAFC members may not tranship from, nor provide refuelling services to fishing vessels with Russian mackerel catches on board that exceed that 1,495 tonnes limit.

In addition, the European Union, the United Kingdom and Iceland are applying these restrictions within their respective national jurisdictions. Fishing vessels carrying Russian mackerel quantities above the agreed limits are barred from entering their ports.

Early application of the measures by the European Union

The European Union decided to apply these NEAFC measures since 3 July 2026. As a result, this summer, the Union has already denied entry into its ports to fishing vessels with Russian mackerel on board caught in excess of the 1,495 tonnes limit.

Next steps

While today's measures mark crucial progress, the European Commission emphasises that further steps are required to ensure the recovery of the mackerel stock. The Commission calls on all like-minded NEAFC partners to:

  • Extend jurisdictional enforcement: Ensure full implementation of these restrictions across all national waters in the region.
  • Ban transshipments at sea: Address high-risk, unmonitored transshipment activities in the NEAFC Regulatory Area as an urgent control priority.
  • Establish comprehensive stock-sharing: Agree on a long-term, coordinated management framework among coastal States to secure sustainable harvest levels.

Background

The North-East Atlantic Fisheries Commission (NEAFC) is the regional fisheries management organisation (RFMO) responsible for ensuring the long-term conservation and optimum utilisation of fishery resources in the North-East Atlantic. Its contracting parties are the European Union, Denmark (in respect of the Faroe Islands and Greenland), Iceland, Norway, the Russian Federation, and the United Kingdom.

More information

The European Commission welcomes NEAFC measures on mackerel and deplores Russia’s further quota increase in 2026

Ten European startups reshaping the blue economy

31 August 2026 at 08:00

The blue economy is no longer limited to traditional activities such as fishing, shipping, or offshore energy. A new generation of startups is applying climate technology, AI, robotics, biotechnology, and advanced water treatment to make the use of oceans and water resources cleaner, safer, and more efficient.

EU-Startups’ 2026 coverage shows Europe’s blue economy attracting capital across a widening range of technologies and business models. Among the larger disclosed rounds were €17 million for cargo.one alongside its acquisition of ocean-freight platform Cargofive or €10 million for marine-biofuel developer Kvasir Technologies.

These deals form part of a broader funding landscape in which startups are tackling an increasingly diverse set of challenges linked to how Europe uses, manages and protects its water and marine resources.

From restoring coastal ecosystems and generating tidal power to removing hazardous pollutants, improving wastewater treatment, supporting aquaculture, automating maritime operations, and digitalising shipping workflows. The 10 startups featured below, founded between 2020 and 2026, show how innovation is reshaping the sector, in alphabetical order.

Apolownia is a Paris-based ClimateTech startup committed to making the world more environmentally responsible. It develops end-to-end coastal ecosystem restoration and blue carbon projects, including mangroves and seagrass, which help absorb carbon, reduce coastal flooding and erosion, improve water quality, and provide vital habitats for fish and other marine life.

Its projects use satellite imagery, drones, field data and AI to monitor ecosystem recovery, estimate carbon capture and verify environmental results in a clear, data-driven way. Founded in 2024, it has raised €1 million in funding.

Headquartered in Heidelberg, Blue Activity develops sustainable water treatment solutions for industrial cooling systems. Its technology replaces toxic biocides with natural microorganisms and uses biopolymer-based additives, supported by digital monitoring. This reduces chemical use, water and energy consumption, maintenance needs, and operating costs.

They promote cleaner industrial water use and reduce harmful substances discharged into the environment, contributing to healthier water resources and more sustainable industry. Founded in 2021, Blue Activity secured €8.5 million in funding.

Launched in 2024 in Oxford, Caudal Energy takes a bio-inspired approach to tidal power, using ocean currents to generate predictable renewable electricity. Its system replaces conventional rotating turbines with moving fins inspired by marine animals, offering a lower-impact solution with simpler installation and maintenance.

This activity matters because tidal energy provides a more predictable source of renewable power than solar and wind, which are more dependent on weather conditions. By harnessing ocean currents, Caudal Energy can support the transition away from fossil fuels while making sustainable use of marine resources. Its innovative approach has enabled them to raise €6.43 million in total funding.

Heidelberg-based Enzo focuses on preventing water damage before it becomes costly. Its one-drop sensor attaches to a building’s main water pipe. The startup uses AI to identify unusual water-use patterns and small leaks in real time, allowing homeowners, property managers, and insurers to act before major damage occurs.

Its activity is especially useful as early leak detection can prevent water waste, expensive repairs, and unnecessary use of materials and energy, contributing to more sustainable water management. Launched in 2021, Enzo raised €6.3 million in funding.

Lir Labs develops an AI-powered microscopy for wastewater treatment, turning microscopic activity in water into real-time operational insights. Its automated sensors use deep-learning models to identify changes in microorganisms and particles, allowing treatment plants to detect problems earlier and adjust processes before they become costly or disruptive.

Their approach to better wastewater monitoring can reduce pollution, unnecessary energy and chemical use, and the risk of poorly treated water reaching natural ecosystems. Founded in 2025 in London, Lir Labs raised €245k in funding.

Mirai Robotics is a Maritime Technology startup building AI-powered systems that allow boats and other maritime vehicles to operate with little or no human control. Its technology can guide vessels, process data from onboard sensors, and make real-time decisions during activities such as sea patrols, inspections, monitoring, and transport.

Its activity is relevant to the blue economy because it can make maritime operations safer, faster, and more efficient, particularly in remote or hazardous areas where deploying human crews can be costly or risky. Launched in 2025 in Bari, this innovative approach to maritime automation and safety has helped Mirai Robotics secure €3.6 million in funding.

Founded in 2023 in Ireland, Nernst Electric develops on-site oxygen generation for aquaculture. Its technology uses ceramic membranes to separate high-purity oxygen directly from the surrounding air, allowing fish farms to produce oxygen where it is needed instead of relying on costly deliveries. A reliable oxygen supply is essential for maintaining healthy fish and productive farming conditions, particularly at remote sites.

Its efficient way of producing oxygen can make aquaculture more reliable, cost-effective, and sustainable while reducing energy use and dependence on transported liquid oxygen. Nernst Electric has a total funding of €1.7 million.

NPHarvest has developed a new hardware solution for the collection and recycling of nutrients from wastewater, turning them into valuable ingredients for fertilisers. Installed at wastewater, biogas, and agricultural facilities, its system captures nitrogen and phosphorus that would otherwise be lost as waste and converts them into reusable resources. The technology can recover up to 90% of these nutrients while operating with relatively low energy use.

As excesses of nitrogen and phosphorus can pollute waterways and contribute to eutrophication, managing levels in the water is important. By recovering these nutrients before they reach the environment, NPHarvest supports cleaner aquatic ecosystems while creating a circular source of fertiliser. Founded in 2023 in Espoo, they raised €3.4 million in total funding.

Zürich-based Oxyle tackles some of the hardest-to-remove pollutants in water, particularly PFAS, also known as “forever chemicals”. Rather than simply filtering these substances out, the company’s treatment systems break them down at the molecular level, preventing them from being transferred into another waste stream. The technology is designed for contaminated groundwater and industrial wastewater across sectors such as chemicals, pharmaceuticals, semiconductors, and waste management.

Removing hazardous chemicals from wastewater helps prevent them from reaching rivers, groundwater, and marine ecosystems, supporting cleaner and safer water resources. Founded in 2020, Oxyle has raised €19 million in funding.

Founded in 2021 in Berlin, Tilla is a MaritimeTech startup bringing greater efficiency to crew changes in the shipping industry. Its digital platform brings voyage schedules, crew information, port services, flights, and travel requirements into one place, allowing shipping companies to plan and manage crew movements with fewer manual tasks, lower costs, and better coordination.

By digitalising a process still heavily dependent on spreadsheets, emails, and manual coordination, Tilla supports more efficient maritime operations and improves the working experience of seafarers. The company raised €4 million in total funding.

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