The Port of Hamburg has launched the SIMON research project

The SIMON project will conduct research over a 24-month period. A budget of approximately one million euros has been allocated for water research in the area of ​​the Port of Hamburg and the Elbe River mouth. Hamburg Port will receive approximately 232,000 euros in funding for water research in the seaport. The SIMON project is being carried out under the supervision of the Federal Ministry of Education, Research, and Technology (BMFTR).

SIMON was selected to implement a smarter water protection system inspired by 4-dimensional water monitoring as part of the Digital GreenTech Robotics competition. The use of unmanned systems is intended to improve the early detection of ecological changes in rivers and seaports. Underwater monitoring will enable decision-making that protects the aquatic environment from pollution from the environment, ships, and port installations. AUV will enable precise, continuous, and autonomous measurement methods of the aquatic environment.

Particulate matter concentrations, oxygen levels, algae composition, and oil residues will be recorded. Potential sources of chemical pollution in the Elbe estuary and the Port of Hamburg will be investigated. The collected data will be directly integrated into the port’s digital twin. IT systems will enable the rapid detection and visualization of environmental changes.