The iMERMAID project has officially launched its second Open Call programme, welcoming five new Associated Regions to its consortium. The new partners, selected through a competitive process, will spend the next nine months testing and implementing innovative solutions to combat pollution in marine and freshwater ecosystems.

The official kick-off meeting was held virtually on July 17th, marking the start of a dynamic 9-month programme. During this period, the five local and regional authorities will deploy iMERMAID’s technologies, build local capacity for environmental monitoring, and address specific pollution challenges based on the project’s key use cases and learning outcomes. The focus is on tackling Contaminants of Emerging Concern (CoECs) and heavy metal pollution.

The kick-off session provided the new partners with a comprehensive introduction to the project, featuring a project overview from coordinator Rodrigo Sedano of ITCL Technology Centre, insightful presentations from iMERMAID’s Use Case Leaders, and a detailed guide on the programme’s management and support framework, led by F6S.

The five new projects and their associated regions are:

  • Municipality of Ankaran (Slovenia) | Project HEMRIS: Focused on the detection of heavy metals and assessing the removal potential in the Slovenian Riviera.

  • Municipality of Eilat (Israel) | Project MARINER: Will implement Monitoring Advanced Responses for Innovative Networks in the Eilat region.

  • Pomorie Municipality (Bulgaria) | Project MP3: Tasked with lake monitoring and the evaluation of priority pollutants in the sensitive ecosystem of Pomorie Lake.

  • Centre for Ecotoxicological Research (CETI) (Montenegro) | Project REACT: Will conduct Remote Environmental Assessment and Continuous Metal Tracking in local water bodies.

  • Lentekhi Municipality (Georgia) | Project ISHMPGR: Aims to deploy Innovative Solutions for Heavy Metal Pollution in Georgian Rivers.

By expanding its network, the iMERMAID project aims to validate its solutions in diverse geographical and environmental contexts, fostering a wider adoption of advanced technologies for a cleaner, healthier global water ecosystem.