Using the latest developments in data science and artificial intelligence, the NOVA Oeiras Ocean Analytics Lab puts Portugal at the forefront of analytics applied to the blue economy and ocean sustainability. This directly contributes to Sustainable Development Goal 14: Life Below Water.
The Portuguese Pavilion at Expo Osaka 2025, whose motto is ‘The Ocean as a Global Dialogue’, hosted the official launch of the NOVA Oeiras Ocean Analytics Lab on Sunday 27th. This research and innovation laboratory aims to apply data science and artificial intelligence to sustainable ocean management.
This initiative is the result of a partnership between NOVA Information Management School (NOVA IMS) and the Municipality of Oeiras within the scope of the Oeiras Mar 2030 programme. It already has the support of the Ocean Forum, the Port of Lisbon Administration and the Infante D. Henrique Higher Nautical School, and is currently expanding to include other national and international entities.
Based at NOVA IMS — the only higher education institution in Portugal dedicated solely to data science and AI — the laboratory is provided with scientific coordination and its mission is to develop advanced technological solutions to address critical challenges in the maritime domain, including:
– Environmental monitoring: conservation and health of ecosystems;
– Digital twins of the ocean: modelling and scenario simulation;
– Predictive risk analysis: safety in navigation and on beaches;
– Smart ports: logistics and operational optimisation;
– Sustainable fishing: monitoring and management of marine resources;
– Combating illegal activities: the detection and prevention of maritime crimes.
The laboratory also aims to foster collaboration between academia, government and industry, particularly with regard to training qualified talent, bringing academia and industry closer together, and promoting applied research.
The laboratory also aims to foster collaboration between academia, government and industry, particularly with regard to training qualified talent, bringing academia and industry closer together, and promoting applied research that can generate new products and services with tangible results in the blue economy.
Signing this protocol in Osaka, at an Expo dedicated to building the society of the future, is deeply symbolic. Portugal now has its first data analytics laboratory for the oceans, uniting data science, AI, and ocean sustainability. The NOVA Oeiras Ocean Analytics Lab embodies our commitment to transforming data into knowledge with global impact and providing practical solutions to today’s major challenges,” says Miguel de Castro Neto, Director of NOVA IMS.
The Mayor of Oeiras, Isaltino Morais, says that this initiative “is further proof of the Municipality’s strategy to establish the region as a centre of innovation and excellence”.
‘It had to be a project bearing the stamp of the Oeiras Valley because our goal is to be at the forefront of major technological and scientific projects, promoting innovation and sustainability,’ the mayor emphasised.
This initiative reinforces Portugal’s position at the forefront of ocean innovation, promoting sustainable solutions with global relevance.