IMPRESSIVE Integrated Marine Pollution Risk assessment In ports and coastal enVironmEnts

IMPRESSIVE Integrated Marine Pollution Risk assessment In ports and coastal enVironmEnts


A Copernicus H2020 project which aims to develop a web-accessible platform for real-time management of marine pollution events in and around ports.


IMPRESSIVE, is a Copernicus H2020 project which aims to develop a web-accessible platform for real-time management of marine pollution events in and around ports. The project is led by ARATOS and includes companies and research organizations in Italy, Greece, Spain and Portugal. Planetek is responsible for the design and development of the platform that will integrate satellite data, models, in situ data and drones. The first prototypes will be available on the ports of Rafina (GR), Taranto (IT) and Las Palmas (ES).

IMPRESSIVE project has developed a universal-relocatable platform for real-time management of marine pollution events in the wider area of EU harbours and their vicinities, easy to manipulate and use from the harbor control post. EO monitoring and advanced modeling of these areas are of great interest as the large ship activity, ship traffic and ship refueling, addresses them as highly risky for pollutant spills and waste waters. The product will be consisting of integrated operational services relying on:

  • A satellite monitoring service processing Sentinel 1, 2, 3 satellite images and Copernicus Marine products to identify polluting events (oil spills and waste water discharges), to generate alerts and provide their position and features in near real time.
  • A software package that once an event is located will provide forecast of its drift and fate, based on coupling between the pollutant fate and transport and the hydrodynamic numerical models, supporting decision making and the maneuvering of the autonomous vehicles with advanced positioning technologies.
  • A set of risk mapping services based on the integration of time series of remote sensing and modeling products.
  • A set of specifically designed Autonomous Surface Vehicle (ASV) and a drone (UAV) equipped with remote sensing instruments and a sampler device (on board of the ASV), remotely operated from the Headquarter Control Post for operational monitoring missions and/or accidental/illegal oil spills and other polluting events.
  • A local rapid-response integrated system of near real time satellite/ASV/drone/model/forecast/risk mapping survey information and products, to support/improve the decision making process in any particular spilling event that may occur inside or outside the harbor or in near coastal areas.

The Geoportal has been tested & validated as an operational pilot in Puerto de la Luz (Gran Canaria), Taranto port (Italy), Rafina port (Greece). All systems have been tested in demonstration sessions. Since September 2020, all satellite systems and forescast models are active on the three areas.

For further information visit https://impressive-project.eu