European consortium develops sustainable seabed mining solutions

The extreme conditions found on the ocean floor raise specific challenges, both technically and environmentally, which are demanding and entirely different from the challenges of land-based mining. The project will be carried out by a group of 19 large European industry and research organisations with various maritime fields of expertise – the “Blue Mining” consortium.

The consortium will develop solutions that will bring deep-sea mining a significant step closer. The “Blue Mining” project will address all aspects of the value chain in this field, from resource discovery to assessment, and from exploitation technologies to the legal and regulatory framework. The goal is to create breakthrough solutions for the sustainable exploration and extraction of deep-sea mineral resources. IHC Merwede is leading the project and Uniresearch is providing administrative services. Website: www.bluemining.eu

Key members of the BLUE MINING consortium and their unique technologies include:

Industry:

Aker Solutions GmbH – Germany

Aker Solutions is a global provider of products, systems and services to the oil and gas industry. Our engineering, design and technology bring discoveries into production and maximize recovery from each petroleum field. We employ approximately 28000 people in about 30 countries. Go to www.akersolutions.com for more information on our business, people and values.

Dredging International N.V. – Belgium

The Belgian dredging, hydraulic engineering and environmental group DEME has earned itself a prominent position on the world market in a few highly specialist and complex hydraulic disciplines.

Having started out with dredging operations and reclamation, the group diversified into hydraulic projects at sea, services to oil and gas companies, the installation of offshore wind farms, offshore harvesting of aggregates and minerals, environmental activities such as soil remediation and sludge recycling, and revalidation of brownfields and wreck clearance. Its multi-disciplinary know-how and experience, project synergies and integrated business structure allowed DEME to grow into a global solutions provider.

The Group owns one of the most modern, high-tech and versatile fleets for dredging and hydraulic engineering activities.

DEME employs 4,500 people. In 2013 the Group realised a turnover of EUR 2.53 billion.  (www.deme-group.com)

IHC Merwede B.V. – The Netherlands

IHC Mining, IHC Merwede’s specialised mining division, provides integrated solutions for the onshore, nearshore and deep-sea mining market. It offers advisory services, in-depth studies and engineering to determine the overall technical and economic viability of the project. It designs, builds and supplies innovative mining vessels and advanced mining equipment ranging from dredgers and crawlers, slurry transport systems and mineral separation plants to plant automation and control systems. During operation, IHC Mining provides life cycle support, resulting in optimal use of equipment at minimum costs. With an extensive track record, the company has achieved supplying customers with a greater return on investment, while helping to decrease the environmental impact of the customer’s activities. (www.ihcmerwede.com/mining)

IMS Ingenieursgesellschaft MBH – Germany

For over 40 years IMS has worked as consultants, advisors, service providers and problem solvers on big and small projects in the following sectors:

Hydraulic Engineering
Civil Engineering
Offshore Technology
Environmental Engineering
Project Management
Management Consultancy

Over the years we have accumulated a vast body of knowledge and experience. We regard this as a solid foundation for finding solutions to unusual challenges that require technical creativity and innovativeness. (www.ims-ing.de)

MTI Holland B.V. – Technical coordinator – The Netherlands

MTI Holland BV, IHC Merwede’s Technology Development Centre, is a global leading centre of expertise in the area of translating knowledge of dredging, mining and deep-sea mining processes into the specification, design and application of equipment. This incorporates Research and Development for the business units within the IHC Merwede group and the application of this knowledge to develop engineering tools and provide consultancy services.  With 75 years of experience, MTI has gained access to a vast network of information and capability resources. MTI Holland offers its Research & Development, Training, and Advisory Services to companies in the Dredging, Mining and Offshore industry, as well as government institutions and consultants. In addition, MTI Holland facilitates portfolio-, product- and knowledge management for the business units of IHC Merwede. (www.mtiholland.com)

2H Offshore Engineering Ltd. – United Kingdom

2H Offshore, a member of the Acteon group, is a specialist engineering consultancy with particular expertise in the structural analysis and integrity management of riser systems for deepwater and extreme environments, with capability to support projects from concept design, detailed engineering and construction, through to delivery and installation. With over 20 years’ experience, 2H Offshore has been leading and pioneering technological innovations within the subsea industry, allowing them to broaden their capabilities to support new areas of business such a deep sea mining.  Working independently or within a consortium, 2H’s highly skilled and dedicated engineering teams address the most challenging of tasks with commitment to quality, communication and flexibility. This has enabled the company to build an international reputation and many successful long-standing relationships with its peers and clients. 2H offshore has a global presence, with offices in London, Houston, Kuala Lumpur, Beijing, Aberdeen, Perth and Rio. (www.2hoffshore.com)

Research

Bundesanstalt fuer Geowissenschaften und Rohstoffe – Germany

The Federal Institute for Geosciences and Natural Resources (BGR) is the central geoscientific authority providing advice to the German Federal Government in all geo-relevant questions. It advises the Federal Ministry of Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWi) on deep-sea mining and represents Germany at the International Seabed Authority (ISA). The BGR carries out exploration research for manganese nodules in the equatorial NE Pacific, after signing a 15 years exploration contract with the ISA in July 2006. Furthermore, an application for the exploration seafloor massive sulfides in the Indian Ocean is currently pending. Apart from participating in the BLUE MINING project the BGR is also a partner in the EU project MIDAS dealing with environmental issues concerning deep-sea mining. (www.bgr.bund.de)

Fundacao da Faculdade de Ciencias da Universidade de Lisboa – Portugal

This University was founded in Lisbon in 1288, the Faculty of Sciences in 1761. With 47000 students (3849 doctoral) it is, the number 1 university in Portugal and the second in the SCImago iberoamerican ranking (research). (www.fc.ul.pt)

Helmholtz Zentrum fur Ozeanforschung Kiel – Germany

GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research is one of the world’s leading institutions in the field of marine sciences. The mission of GEOMAR is to investigate the physical, chemical, biological, and geological processes in the global oceans and their interaction with the seafloor and the atmosphere. The Centre is bridging the gap between basic and applied science in a number of research areas. Currently, GEOMAR has a staff of about 850, including about 400 scientists. The state-of-the-art infrastructure of GEOMAR includes four research vessels, three remotely operated underwater vehicles and an autonomous underwater vehicle with a depth range down to 6000 meters, the only manned research submersible in Germany (400 m diving capability) as well as a large number of specialized instruments and technologies for ocean and deep-sea research. The overarching research topics of GEOMAR include: (1) the role of the ocean in climate change, (2) human impact on marine ecosystems, (3) biological, mineral and energy resources as well as (4) plate tectonics and natural hazards. GEOMAR contributes to the Cluster of Excellence “The Future Ocean” and the collaborative research centre (SFB) “Climate-Biogeochemistry Interactions in the Tropical Ocean”, funded by the German Science Foundation (DFG). (www.geomar.de)

Natural Environment Research Council – United Kingdom

NERC – the Natural Environment Research Council – is the UK’s largest funder of independent research, training and innovation in environmental science.

We invest public money in world-leading science, designed to help us sustain and benefit from our natural resources, predict and respond to natural hazards and understand environmental change. We work closely with policymakers and industry to make sure our knowledge can support sustainable economic growth and wellbeing in the UK and around the world. (www.nerc.ac.uk)

We are supported mainly by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) however our activities and funding decisions are independent of government.

Nederlandse Organisatie voor Toegepast Natuurwetenschappelijk Onderzoek – TNO – The Netherlands

TNO (The Netherlands Organisation for Applied Scientific Research – TNO) is one of the major contract research organisations in Europe. With a staff of approximately 3500 and an annual turnover of 580 million Euros, TNO is carrying out research in order to achieve impact on the following seven themes: Healthy Living, Industrial Innovation, Transport and Mobility, Energy, Built Environment, Information Society, and Defence, Safety and Security. TNO functions as an intermediary between basic research organisations and industry. By translating scientific knowledge into practical applications, TNO contributes to the innovation capacity of businesses and government. TNO is involved in many international projects, including EU-funded collaborations. The Blue Mining project is part of the TNO activities under the theme Energy, and will be powered by the Maritime & Offshore department located in Delft, the Netherlands (www.tno.nl/maritime)

Norges Teknisk-Naturvitenskapelige Universitet NTNU – Norway

The Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) is Norway’s primary institution for educating the nation’s future engineers and scientists. The university also has strong programmes in the social sciences, teacher education, the arts and humanities, medicine, architecture and fine art.

NTNU’s cross-disciplinary research delivers creative innovations that have far-reaching social and economic impact.

Faculty of Engineering Science and Technology – Department of Marine Technology

With less than a thousandth of the world’s inhabitants, Norway is world class in terms of marine science, marine technology and maritime industrial enterprise.

Marine technology encompasses activities tied to our largest exporting industries:

Oil and gas extraction
Fisheries technology and aquaculture
Marine engineering and the associated industries.

The department graduates 60-80 masters of engineering students every year, and is the largest in its field in the western world. (www.ntnu.edu)

Rheinisch-Westfaelische Technische Hochschule Aachen – Germany

The Rheinisch-Westfaelische Technische Hochschule (RWTH) Aachen performs since many years as the top ranked technical University of Excellence in Germany. Joint research with industry and large collaborative research centers are a particular strength of RWTH Aachen University.

Both project partners, the Institute of Mining Engineering I (BBKI) and the Geological Institute (GIA), form part of the Faculty of Georesources and Materials Engineering. BBK I is part of the Division of Mining Engineering, Mineral Processing and Recycling. The research activities focus on all aspects of mining, mineral economics and sustainable development in Mining. The Geological Institute is a member of the Energy and Mineral Resources Group (EMR) of the Division of Geosciences & Geography. It represents the largest university-based Geoscience Group committed to Resources Research in Germany. Activities focus on hydrocarbon, minerals and metals research, including exploration and production applications (www.bbk1.rwth-aachen.de)

SOTON University of Southampton – United Kingdom

The University of Southampton has a well established reputation for its outstanding research and degree courses in ocean and Earth science. We are also known for our relaxed, friendly and informal atmosphere, which affords students a stimulating environment in which to learn and acquire essential scientific and key work skills. Ocean and Earth Science students are based at the prestigious National Oceanography Centre Southampton (NOCS). NOCS is the integrated collaboration between the Southampton-based part of the Natural Environment Research Council’s National Oceanography Centre, and the University of Southampton’s Ocean and Earth Science. The Centre hosts one of the world’s largest groups of scientists and engineers devoted to research, teaching and technology development in ocean and Earth science. The Centre is comprehensively equipped with modern instrumentation and laboratory facilities and is also the operational base for the UK’s fleet of deep sea research vessels and associated equipment such as Autosub, an autonomous underwater vehicle capable of diving to depths of 6 kilometres. NOCS also houses the UK’s collection of ocean sediment cores, as well as the National Oceanographic Library. We currently have more than 46 academic teaching staff (including 15 professors), and a strong technical and administrative support team working in Ocean and Earth Science. It is our ability to offer innovative courses, delivered in a research-led environment by leading experts in the field, which characterises our degree programmes. The work of our academics is highly regarded. In the last UK survey of research excellence (RAE 2008), 70 per cent of our submissions were ranked as ‘world leading’ or ‘internationally excellent’. (www.southampton.ac.uk)

Stichting Martiem Research Instituut Nederland – The Netherlands

MARIN, the Maritime Research Institute Netherlands, has been an independent and innovative service provider for the maritime industry and a contributor to the wellbeing of society, since 1932. The services incorporate a unique combination of simulation, model testing, full-scale measurements and training programmes. MARIN provides services to the shipbuilding and offshore industry and governments. Customers include commercial ship builders, fleet owners, naval architects, classification societies, oil and LNG companies and navies, the world over.

MARIN is always strengthening the link between academic research and market needs. Through this, continuous synergy with the maritime industry is guaranteed. To fulfil its hydrodynamic research services,

MARIN has an exceptional range of computer simulations, model testing, full-scale measurements and training facilities. (www.marin.nl)

Technische Universitaet Bergakademie Freiberg – Germany

TU Bergakademie Freiberg

Four core fields – geo, material, energy, environment – give the oldest existing mining science university in the world a unique and unmistakable profile as the university of resources. Scientists and students from all research areas actively work together in these four areas. Strong partners from the industry are always by their side. Therefore, the TU Bergakademie Freiberg also ranks amongst the ten strongest research universities in Germany due to third-party funding per professor and occupies the top position in the new federal states. As the university of resources, the TU Bergakademie Freiberg extensively takes the saving of raw material in particular into account, according to the sustainability concept which was coined by the Freiberg head mining administrator Carl von Carlowitz in 1713. In the process the university covers everything from the exploration of new as well as local deposits to the development of alternative power engineering, from recycling to research into new materials. In the front line for society’s current developments – the TU Bergakademie Freiberg has pursued this ideal since its establishment in 1765. Alexander von Humbolt and Novalis studied in Freiberg. Abraham Gottlob Werner founded scientific mineralogy here. The chemist Clemens Winkler discovered the element germanium in the mining town, while Ferdinand Reich and Hieronymus Theodor Richter discovered the element indium. (http://tu-freiberg.de)

Technische Universiteit Delft – The Netherlands

Although the University only received its current name in 1986, it has been providing technical education for 165 years.

TU Delft cooperates with many other educational and research institutions, both in the Netherlands and abroad. The high quality of our research and teaching is renowned. TU Delft has numerous contacts with governments, trade associations, consultancies, industry and small and medium-sized companies.

Faculty Mechanical, Maritime and Materials Engineering (short: 3ME) educates committed engineers and PhD graduates and conducts breakthrough scientific research in the fields of mechanical engineering, maritime engineering and materials science. The Faculty wishes to be an excellent example of a dynamic and innovative faculty which pursues a leading position in Europe and makes a direct contribution to the economy and society (www.3me.tudelft.nl)

Service

Guardship BVBA – Belgium

GuardSHIP is a European shipbuilding intellectual property right (IPR) collective management organisation. GuardSHIP provides practical and cost efficient services, aiming at:

Defending the interests of the European shipbuilding industry in terms of safeguarding its knowledge assets and IPRs;
Raising awareness and promoting respect for the economic and legal interests of European shipbuilding innovations;
Addressing and studying issues directly linked with the shipbuilding-specific knowledge leakage problem;
Cooperating with the international anti-piracy and anti-counterfeiting effort in the area of enforcement and providing technical assistance;

Making submissions to, or appearing before, any national or international entity on behalf of the European shipbuilding industry on any IPR related issues.(www.guardship.eu)

Uniresearch B.V. – The Netherlands

Since 1994, Uniresearch, an independent grant-consultancy company, has specialised in the startup and management of technology innovations. The company provides high-quality services helping clients find funding opportunities and prepare applications for regional, national, and pan-European grants like the European Commission’s Seventh Framework Program (FP7) and Horizon2020. Uniresearch’s full services support customers throughout each stage of a research and innovation project: from project definition, through consortium-building and proposal writing, to contract negotiation, project execution, and dissemination of results. In fact, Uniresearch customers enjoy a success rate for European grants that is three times higher than the average. (www.uniresearch.com)