Horizon 2020 project to establish the Cyprus Marine and Maritime Institute (CMMI) is officially launched
The official kick-off for the H2020 project CMMI/MaRITeC-X (EU Commission Grant agreement ID: 857586) was held on 10 and 11 October in Larnaca. CMMI/MaRITeC-X is co-funded by €30 million from the European Union and the Cyprus Government, with an additional €10 million of local industrial support, and aims to establish a Centre for Excellence in Marine and Maritime Research, Innovation and Technology, the Cyprus Marine and Maritime Institute (CMMI). CMMI will provide practical solutions to the global challenges facing the marine and maritime socioeconomic stakeholders.
The event began with a press conference at the Radisson Blue Hotel in Larnaca, with speakers including the Mayor of Larnaca, Andreas Vyras, the Deputy Minister of Shipping, Natasa Pilides, the National Chief Scientist for Research & Innovation, Kyriakos Kokkinos, as well as a representative of the European Commission, Federica Roffi, Deputy Head of Unit the at Research Executive Agency. SMMI member Professor David White, joined other project partners and presented more details on the implementation of CMMI’s business plan.
Professor David White speaking at the press conference to launch the CMMI/MaRITeC-X H2020 project
The speakers emphasised the importance of this project for Larnaca, Cyprus and the wider Mediterranean region and the EU, highlighting the significant benefits that it is expected to bring such as job creation, attracting foreign investment, developing know-how through cooperation with international research organizations and businesses, and sustainable development in the Blue Economy. At the same time, they expressed their full support for the creation and success of this Centre of Excellence.
After the press conference the CMMI/MaRITeC-X project partners, with Profs Simon Quinn and David White representing SMMI, held their first project meeting under the Teaming Phase 2 Grant where Federica Roffi introduced EC priorities and expectations regarding the Teaming Grant, transferring the full support of the EC to the project’s success. Closing Thursday’s sessions, Programme Officer, Carla Rocha Gomes presented legal, financial and administrative aspects of the funding instrument.
The project meeting was concluded on 11 October, with the Advanced and widening project partners defining the first steps to establish CMMI. The Centre of Excellence is expected to open by the end of 20198 in a temporary space provided by the Municipality of Larnaca, with the final buildings permanently located in the Makenzie area of Larnaca expected to be ready in 2021.
SMMI member Professor Dominic Hudson also travelled to Cyprus to give an invited plenary talk at the Cyprus Maritime Technology Forum, “Improving ship efficiency through a performance digital twin”, in Limassol, and attended the latter part of the project meeting on 11 October after visiting potential industrial collaborators.
CMMI/MaRITeC-X H2020 team at the project kick-off meeting
Prior to the CMMI/MaRITeC-X meetings the SMMI team visited the Department of Fisheries and Marine Research (DFMR), and their Marine Aquaculture Station in Larnaca, hosted by Vassilis Papadpoulos and Marina Argyrou (Director of DFMR) to hear about their activities, discuss future collaboration, and see their facilities. Marina Argyrou is a member of the Board of Directors of CMMI.
SMMI members Professors Dominic Hudson, David White and Simon Quinn with Marina Argyrou at the Marine Aquaculture Station in Larnaca