Fujitsu And BCN Port Innovation Foundation Launch Ocean Digital Twin At Port Of Barcelona

Fujitsu and the BCN Port Innovation Foundation have jointly announced a new partnership to build a proof of concept (PoC) for an ocean digital twin at the Port of Barcelona. Scheduled for deployment in 2026, the new project is expected to help with marine regeneration, biodiversity conservation, and the promotion of the blue economy.

The new project will use underwater drones, artificial intelligence, and advanced analytics to build high-resolution, non-destructive maps of the seabed. These autonomous surface and underwater vehicles will follow optimized survey paths with real-time stabilization, allowing for consistent and repeatable data collection. The data collected will be used to train machine learning algorithms that can measure biodiversity, estimate vegetation coverage, calculate biomass, and measure blue carbon absorption associated with marine algae.

The ocean digital twin will integrate biodiversity data into a single digital platform, allowing for long-term environmental monitoring in the port area. By providing accurate spatial information about seabed conditions, habitat, and species, the system will form the basis for empirical conservation, restoration, and regeneration. Long-term monitoring of plant species will also help to monitor changes in the ecosystem over time and predict the effects of climate change and port activities.

The system will also allow for environmental simulations using “what if” scenarios, allowing the port authority to assess and prioritize sustainability projects before implementation. This will help with data-driven investment decisions and will also help to strike a balance between port infrastructure development and environmental conservation.

The new project is in line with European marine conservation initiatives, such as the EU Nature Restoration Law passed in 2024. Beyond environmental benefits, the digital twin may foster marine research, education, and stakeholder engagement by increasing transparency and public awareness of coastal ecosystem protection.

Filed in Green. Read more about AI (Artificial Intelligence), Drones, Fujitsu, Green and Machine Learning.