Monitoring technologies play a central role in a world filled with such precise, rich, and diverse data. But when, as it is usually said, humankind knows more about the moon than the Earth's Ocean, it means researchers still need to dive deeper to collect invaluable information about our blue world.
The international workshop “Towards a deep-sea long-term monitoring of the global Ocean” will be held on 9–10 November, 2026 at the Faculty of Engineering of the University of Porto (FEUP), aiming to strengthen the role of SMART (Science Monitoring And Reliable Telecommunications) Cables as a strategic digital infrastructure for continuous, long-term observation of the deep ocean.
This SMART Cables, Science and Society event is co-organised by:
- INESC TEC (through the INESCTEC.OCEAN Centre of Excellence in Ocean Research & Engineering)
- Latin Polar Science
- Portuguese National Committee for the UN Ocean Decade (CNDO)
In partnership with:
- ANACOM
- Atlantic Centre
- Faculty of Engineering of the University of Porto (FEUP)
- Portuguese Committee for the IOC/UNESCO (CP-COI)
- SMART Cables Joint Task Force (JTF)
- University of Aveiro
ℹ️ Details
Dates | 9-10 November, 2026
Venue | Faculty of Engineering of the University of Porto (FEUP)
⚠️ Attention ⚠️
Prior registration is mandatory for all participants. You may fill the sign-up form by clicking the "NEXT" button at the end of this page.
The event will be limited to 150 in-person attendees. Once registrations reach maximum capacity, additional sign-ups will be placed on a waiting list.
Participants will be contacted by email prior to the event to confirm their successful registration.
📅 Agenda (Draft Programme*)
*Note: This is a provisional line-up. The programme may be subject to modifications or updates at any time.
Day 1 (9 November)
-
08:30 | Registrations
-
TBD | Welcoming remarks
- Rector of University of Porto
- Coordinator of CNDO / Chair of CP-COI; University of Aveiro
- CEO and Chairman of INESC TEC
- Director of FEUP
- Embassy of Canada to Portugal *tbc
- Embassy of Norway to Portugal *tbc
- TBD | Opening Session: Global Perspectives and Expectations
- Eduardo Silva | Scientific Coordinator of the INESCTEC.OCEAN CoE / Coordinator for Pillar IV: "Healthy Ocean and Resilient Coasts" of the European Union's Atlantic Strategy
- President of ANACOM (Portuguese National Communications Authority)
- Jorge Nobre de Sousa* | Admiral, CEMA (Chief of the Naval Staff), Portuguese Navy *tbc
- Salvador Malheiro* | Portuguese Secretary of State for Fisheries and the Sea *tbc
- TBD | Infrastructures for Deep-Sea Sensing
- Hiroshi Ota | Advisor for ITU/WMO/UNESCO IOC SMART Cables Joint Task Force *tbc
- Hugo Martins | Researcher at the Optics Institute "Daza de Valdés" (IO-CSIC)
- Portuguese Navy* (NRP D. João II) *tbc
COFFEE BREAK
- TBD | Ocean Variables and Early Warning
Keynote: Juanjo Danobeitia | Researcher and Professor at CSIC (Spanish National Research Council)
- Susana Custóias | Seismology, IDL (Dom Luiz Institute)
- Fernando Carrilho | Director of Geophysics at IPMA (Portuguese Institute for the Sea and the Atmosphere)
- João Vitorino | Oceanography Division at IH (Hydrographic Institute - Portuguese Navy)
- Jean-Yves Le Traon* | Scientific Director of Mercator Ocean International *tbc
- Vala Hjörleifsdóttir | Associate Professor at the Iceland School of Energy (Reykjavik University)
- Diana Viegas | Executive Coordinator of the INESCTEC.OCEAN CoE
LUNCH BREAK
- TBD | Ongoing Large-Scale Research Projects
Keynote: Charlotte Row | Research Seismologist at the Los Alamos National Laboratory
- William Wilcock | Professor of Oceanography at the University of Washington
- Benoit Pirenne | Associate Director of the Neptune Project
- Chris Hughes* | Professor of Sea Level Science at the University of Liverpool *tbc
- Frederik Tilmann | Assistant Professor at SAFATOR/GEOMAR
- Jie Wu | Senior Research Scientist at SINTEF - WINDOM (Wind Integrity aNd Durability through Offshore Monitoring)
- Susana Silva | Assistant Researcher at INESC TEC - Submerse Project
- João Beleza Vaz | Director of the Azores Delegation of ANACOM
COFFEE BREAK
- TBD | Research and Education Networks and the European Comission Support
- João Nuno Ferreira | Vice-President of FCCN at AI2 (Portuguese Agency for Research and Innovation)
- Erik-Jan Bos* | Co-Chair of the Polar Connect Executive Teams and Senior Advisor at NORDUnet *tbc
- Chris Atherton | Senior Research Engagement Manager at Gèant
- Alexandra Rotileanu* | Head of the Investment in High-Capacity Networks Unit at the EC DG CONNECT (European Commission's Directorate-General for Communications, Networks, Content and Technology) - CEF Digital *tbc
- TBD | Conclusions from Day 1
SOCIAL PROGRAMME
'Porto de Honra' at FEUP's gardens
Day 2 (10 November)
COFFEE BREAK
- TBD | SMART Cables and Optic Fiber Sensors (OFS) Ongoing and Announced Projects
Keynote: Michael Delaunay | Researcher at OPSA Canada (Observatory on Politics and Security in the Arctic)
- Alberto Passos | Head of Business and Submarine Project CAM at IP Telecom
- Afonso Loureiro | Scientific Researcher at ARDITI
- Eckhard Bruckschen | CEO of IOEMA
- Enrique Martín Gullón | CEO and Partner at VDPC (Valencia Digital Port Connect)
- Erik-Jan Bos* | Co-Chair of the Polar Connect Executive Team and Senior Advisor at NORDUNET *tbc
- Ik Icard* | CTO at FNF (Far North Fiber) *tbc
- Noel Buttin | COO of Pacific Peering
- Steen Hansen | Head of the Subsea Business Unit of TUSASS
LUNCH BREAK
- TBD | Roundtable: Contributions of SMART Cables and Optic Fiber Sensors (OFS) for Cable Protection and Maritime Domain Awareness (MDA)
Part 1: Cable Protection
Moderator: Augusto Fragoso | Director-General for Information and Innovation at ANACOM
- Gilles Mahric | Legal Advisor at EEAS (European External Action Service)
- Duarte Lynce de Faria | CEDIS - Research & Development Centre on Law and Society of NOVA School of Law / Guest Professor at NOVA University of Lisbon
- Gustavo Borges | Executive Superintendent at ANATEL (Brazilian National Telecommunications Agency)
- Rogério Mariano | Coordinator of CBPC Brazil (Brazilian Submarine Cable Protection Committee)
- Caio César Ribeiro | Assistant Researcher in Chemical Oceanography at CCMAR (Algarve's Centre of Marine Sciences)
- Camino Kavanagh* | Senior Visiting Fellow at King's College London *tbc
Part 2: Maritime Domain Awareness
Moderator: José Barros | Member of the Executive Council of JTF Smart Cables and of the Advisory Council of OEID (Observatory of Digital Ecosystems and Infrastructures)
- Rui Leite da Cunha | Commodore, Coordinator of Atlantic Centre
- Ventura Soares* | Amiral, Portuguese Mission for the Extension of the Continental Shelf (EMEPC) *tbc
- Quaresma dos Santos* | Commander, Portuguese Navy *tbc
- Bruno Banha | Commander, Staff Officer for Critical Undersea Infrastructure at NATO-MARCOM / Maritime Centre for the Security of Critical Undersea Infrastructures
- Fialho Jesus | Commander, Vice-President of OEID
- Bruno Cunha | Professor of Computer Science at Portucalense University
- TBD | Conclusions from Day 2: 'Porto Statement'
- TBD | Closing Session
- Miguel Pinto Luz* | Portuguese Minister of Infrastructure and Housing *tbc
*tbc = to be confirmed
*tbd = to be defined
