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 have limited seats. 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
*Note: The programme may be subject to modifications or updates at any time.
Day 1 (9 November)
10:30 | COFFEE BREAK
- 11:15 | Ocean Variables and Early Warning
Keynote: Juanjo Danobeitia | Researcher and Professor at CSIC (Spanish National Research Council)
- Susana Custódio | 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)
- Angel Ruiz Angulo | Associate Professor at the Institute of Earth Sciences (University of Iceland); and Vala Hjörleifsdóttir | Associate Professor at the Iceland School of Energy (Reykjavik University) *Joint presentation
- Ingrid Puillat | Director-General of EMSO-ERIC (European Multidisciplinary Seafloor and water column Observatory - European Research Infrastructure Consortium)
12:30 | LUNCH BREAK
- 14:00 | Ongoing Large-Scale Research Projects
Keynote: Charlotte Rowe | Research Seismologist at Los Alamos National Laboratory
- William Wilcock | Professor of Oceanography at the University of Washington
- Benoît Pirenne | Chief Innovation and Technology Officer at Ocean Networks Canada
- Frederik Tilmann | Professor for Seismology, GFZ / The SAFAtor project
- 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
15:15 | COFFEE BREAK
- 15:45 | 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
- Chris Atherton | Senior Research Engagement Manager at Gèant
- Georgios Tselentis | Topic Leader for SMART Cables at the EC DG CONNECT (European Commission's Directorate-General for Communications, Networks, Content and Technology) - CEF Digital
- 16:30 | Conclusions from Day 1
17:00 | SOCIAL PROGRAMME
'Porto de Honra' at FEUP's gardens
Day 2 (10 November)
11:00 | COFFEE BREAK
- 11:30 | 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
- Ik Icard | CTO at FNF (Far North Fiber)
- Noel Buttin | COO of Pacific Peering
- Steen Hansen | Head of the Subsea Business Unit of TUSASS
13:00 | LUNCH BREAK
- Roundtable: Contributions of SMART Cables and Optic Fiber Sensors (OFS) for Cable Protection and Maritime Domain Awareness (MDA)
14:30 | Part 1: Cable Protection
Moderator: Augusto Fragoso | Director-General for Information and Innovation at ANACOM
- Andrey Nunes | Quality Obligations Control Manager 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)
- Bruno Cunha | Professor of Computer Science at Portucalense University
- José Barros | Member of the Executive Council of JTF Smart Cables and of the Advisory Council of OEID (Observatory of Digital Ecosystems and Infrastructures)
15:30 | COFFEE BREAK
16:00 | Part 2: Maritime Domain Awareness
Moderator: Nuno de Noronha Bragança | Rear-Admiral (RES), Portuguese Navy
- Rui Leite da Cunha | Coordinator of the Atlantic Centre
- Ventura Soares | Admiral, Portuguese Task Group for the Extension of the Continental Shelf (EMEPC)
- Quaresma dos Santos | Commander, Portuguese Navy
- Bruno Banha | Commander, Staff Officer for Critical Undersea Infrastructure at NATO-MARCOM / Maritime Centre for Security of Critical Undersea Infrastructures
- Helder Fialho Jesus | Commander (Ret), Vice-President of OEID
- 17:00 | Conclusions from Day 2: 'Porto Statement'
- 17:10 | Closing Session
- Luís Menezes Pinheiro | Chairman of the Portuguese Committee for the IOC/UNESCO (CP-COI), Coordinator of the Portuguese National Committee for the UN Ocean Decade (CNDO)
*tbc = to be confirmed
*tbd = to be defined
