Between October 15–18, 2025, a three-day international meeting took place in Istanbul, Turkey, within the framework of the EfxINNOs project – “Establishing and Operating an Innovative Marine Technology Transfer Network for Enhancing the Transition to a Sustainable Blue Economy in the Black Sea Basin”. The project is funded by the Interreg NEXT Black Sea Basin Programme, and the event was hosted by Istanbul University.
Ilia State University was represented by Professor Ketevan Kupatadze, Scientific Coordinator of the project and faculty member at the Faculty of Medicine and Natural Sciences, PhD Student and young researcher Tamar Edisherashvili, and Financial Manager Manana Salukvadze.
The first day of the meeting was dedicated to an internal review session, focusing on the project’s implementation progress, completed milestones, and future activities.
During the technical session, Professor K. Kupatadze and Ms. T. Edisherashvili presented recent research findings derived from the monitoring buoy installed in the Port of Poti, Georgia. The data, processed through machine learning algorithms, provided insights into several key environmental parameters measured by the buoy, including:
- Water temperature
- Turbidity
- Conductivity
- Chlorophyll-a concentration
- Oxygen concentration
- Oxygen saturation
On the second day, the project team conducted a field expedition aboard Istanbul University’s research vessel in the Bosporus Strait, performing seabed scanning and water sampling using advanced marine research instruments.
The final day of the meeting took place at the Black Sea Economic Cooperation (BSEC) Headquarters, where participants engaged in an extended panel discussion on scientific collaboration and sustainable marine technologies in the Black Sea region. During the session, Professor Kupatadze introduced Ilia State University’s research objectives and contributions to the EfxINNOs project to Turkish researchers and policymakers.
The broader aim of the project is to develop and operate a cost-effective, innovative, and sustainable network of marine monitoring platforms. With partners from Bulgaria, Romania, Turkey, and Georgia, the project fosters regional cooperation and contributes to the growth of marine innovation across the Black Sea region.
With a total budget of €1,643,648.40, the initiative represents an important step forward for Georgia and the entire Black Sea Basin—bridging scientific research, education, and environmental sustainability to support the development of a robust blue economy.
The research activities are ongoing.
2025
