José Joaquín Hernández Brito, Director of PLOCAN, participated in the 4th European Symposium by NEREUS Regions, held on 2–3 October at the Teatro Micaelense in Ponta Delgada (São Miguel, Azores). The symposium brought together representatives from European regions and key actors in the space sector to explore how innovation in space can contribute to resilience and sustainability in addressing complex challenges, focusing on three strategic areas: Civil Protection, the Blue Economy, and Defence/Security.
The Canary Islands delegation, led by the Directorate-General for Organisational Coordination and Strategic Projects of the Government of the Canary Islands, included the participation of the Institute of Astrophysics of the Canary Islands, the Technological Park of Fuerteventura, the Oceanic Platform of the Canary Islands (PLOCAN), PROEXCA and the Atlantic Association for Maritime Emergencies. This presence reflected the internationalisation axis of the Canary Islands Aerospace Strategy, a key factor for the joint development of collaborative projects with other European regions. In the Azores, the delegation showcased the expertise of Canary Islands technology centres and companies in the use of aerospace technologies to tackle challenges in areas such as security and emergency response, as well as the blue economy.
NEREUS, the Network of European Regions Using Space Technologies, is the European network that promotes interregional cooperation to maximise the use of space applications such as Copernicus and Galileo/EGNOS in public policies. Its goal is to strengthen regional ecosystems and facilitate the transfer of space technology into practical solutions for society and the economy.
Within this framework, PLOCAN presented the paper “PLOCAN Test Bank: Boosting the Blue Economy with Remote Sensing Technologies” during the session dedicated to the Blue Economy. The presentation highlighted the role of the PLOCAN Test Site as a validation infrastructure for EO, GNSS and VDES services applied to coastal monitoring, aquaculture, maritime safety, marine energies and biodiversity, as well as the importance of Azores–Canaries cooperation in scaling up regional pilots into integrated Atlantic solutions.
“Interregional collaboration transforms satellite data into concrete applications for the blue economy and maritime risk management,” said Hernández Brito.
The event also facilitated networking and collaboration opportunities to build Atlantic consortia (Azores–Madeira–Canaries) focused on early risk detection and emergency management, earth observation of protected areas, and maritime logistics and safety.
Through its participation, PLOCAN strengthens its position as a benchmark in the application of space technologies to the blue economy and Atlantic sustainability, consolidating scientific and technological cooperation between European regions.
