Danish Royal Couple Visits GEOMAR

The Danish royal couple, H.M. King Frederik X. and H.M. Queen Mary, visited the GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel today. During the trip with the electric ferry from the western shore of the Kiel Fjord to the GEOMAR campus on the eastern shore, Director Professor Dr Katja Matthes gave an insight into current research projects in the North and Baltic Seas.

“Denmark and Germany not only share a border, but also two seas – the North Sea and the Baltic Sea – that are under considerable threat, not only from climate change but also from other factors such as unexploded ordnance. At GEOMAR, we see it as our responsibility to develop scientifically based solutions for the protection and sustainable use of these vital marine ecosystems”, explained Katja Matthes.

At GEOMAR, H.M. King Frederik X opened a German-Danish energy conference hosted by the Danish Embassy. In his speech, he emphasised the many years of good cooperation between the two countries: “Schleswig-Holstein has always played an important role in our shared history. Today, we are reminded of its significance for our common future. The partnerships and solutions introduced here today will certainly contribute to a greener tomorrow.”

Afterwards, Schleswig-Holstein's Minister-President Daniel Günther and Danish Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen welcomed the attendees.

Artificial Intelligence for Baltic Sea Protection 

The state of the Baltic Sea is alarming: warming, acidification caused by carbon dioxide (CO2) and nutrient overload are leading to oxygen depletion, which is difficult to counteract due to the limited water circulation in the Baltic Sea. Fresh, oxygen-rich water from the North Sea only enters when there are strong westerly winds. The consequences are severe, including frequent fish kills, the decline of seagrass meadows and a reduction in biodiversity. Since 1957, environmental parameters have been measured at the Boknis Eck time-series station, providing valuable insights into these developments. In the INSYST project, Artificial Intelligence (AI) will help to analyse these data more efficiently, enabling the creation of digital models to improve monitoring and protection of the Baltic Sea.

Fisheries Research 

Fishing is deeply rooted in the coastal regions of the Baltic Sea and plays an important role in food supply and tourism. However, economically viable fishing is hardly possible at present and is unlikely to be possible in the near future. The stocks of cod and herring, once staple species, have collapsed due to intensive overfishing, and their recovery is expected to be slow due to warming waters and oxygen depletion in the Baltic Sea. At GEOMAR, researchers study fisheries from different perspectives and develop strategies for sustainable fisheries management.

Seagrass Meadows as Natural Climate Protectors 

Researchers are also investigating marine strategies for carbon storage in the Baltic Sea. Restoring seagrass meadows is one of several approaches with many additional benefits. In addition to their importance for carbon storage, seagrass meadows protect coastlines by slowing wave action and stabilising sandy seabeds with their roots. They also provide food and shelter for many marine species, thereby enhancing marine biodiversity. They are also highly effective at filtering pathogens from the water. About 60% of the area covered by seagrass in the Baltic Sea at the beginning of the 19th century has already been lost. Researchers at GEOMAR are investigating ways to replant and restore seagrass meadows.

Munitions Clearance in the North and Baltic Seas 

It is estimated that 1.6 million tonnes of unexploded ordnance (UXO), mostly from the Second World War, still lie off the coasts of the North and Baltic Seas. For decades, this environmental hazard has received little attention, but time is running out: the metal casings of the munitions are corroding, and explosives such as the carcinogenic and mutagenic trinitrotoluene (TNT) are already exposed on the seabed. Explosive compounds and their degradation products have been detected in the water, as well as in shellfish and fish. Since mid-September, the first munitions have been removed from the Bay of Lübeck under the close scientific supervision of GEOMAR. Germany is playing a pioneering role in this effort. No other country has attempted to remove munitions from the sea on a large scale. To address this problem, the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (BMUV) launched an immediate action programme last year, providing 100 million euros to fund pilot clearance operations in the Bay of Lübeck. Since 13 September, various types of munitions have been recovered from several sites in the area.

Research on Corrosion in Offshore Wind Farms 

Microbiologically induced iron corrosion in the maritime industry is estimated to cause billions of euros of damage each year in Germany alone. Experts expect the incidence of such damage to increase significantly as a result of global warming. Offshore wind farms are particularly affected and no effective or environmentally friendly protection method has yet been developed. Kiel University of Applied Sciences and GEOMAR, in collaboration with industry partners, aim to develop effective solutions to prevent microbial iron corrosion in offshore environments.