News & Events

sustainMare Lecture Series 2026 (in German)

In the summer semester 2026, the sustainMare Lecture Series will take place in the general lecture system of the University of Hamburg. (Only in German). more

CoastalFutures – BSH Workshop

CoastalFutures – BSH Workshop

On 15 July 2025, more than 25 representatives from the BSH, the Helmholtz Centre Hereon, Fraunhofer IWES, the University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover Foundation and the University of Hannover met at the Federal Maritime and Hydrographic Agency (BSH) to discuss the topic: the use of models and model results for assessing the environmental impact of offshore wind farms in the North Sea.

The BSH conducts strategic environmental assessments for the maritime spatial planning and land development planning instruments, taking into account the statutory expansion targets of at least 30 GW of offshore wind energy by 2030 and at least 70 GW by 2045. Models and model results can play an important role in assessing potential impacts, particularly with regard to large-scale effects up to the year 2050.

Andreas Kannen from the Helmholtz Centre Hereon and co-spokesperson for the research mission pointed out that transdisciplinary cooperation and exchange with authorities and other stakeholders are central elements of sustainMare. The mission, comprising a total of seven projects, focuses on the protection and sustainable use of marine space from various perspectives. Within the mission, the CoastalFutures joint project aims to analyse scenarios for the development of marine space and develop models for analysing and evaluating change. The BSH is an associated partner in CoastalFutures.

The event served to deepen the exchange between science (in this case, specifically modelling) and the responsible planning and approval authorities. It is particularly important that, on the one hand, scientists are familiar with planning and approval-related processes and issues in order to be able to develop models that are relevant in practice. On the other hand, the authorities need to be informed about the current state of science. The dialogue on the usability of model results in the planning contexts of the BSH was facilitated and discussions were held on how and where model calculations can be specifically incorporated into these processes as information.

Conclusion
Major issues such as climate change <-> expansion targets must be negotiated by society, and ultimately it is up to the legislator to decide. Planning and approval procedures then implement the decisions. Models can be very helpful for individual aspects of administrative processes. The aim is to continue exchange and dialogue and to consolidate communication between BSH and sustainMare.

Working Toward 70 GW: CoastalFutures Engages with the Offshore Wind Lab

Participants in the 2. quarterly meeting of the 70 GW Offshore Wind Real-World Laboratory in Hanover
Source: https://reallabor.offshore.uol.de/983-2-2-2-2-2/

On June 18, 2025, Dr. Andreas Kannen, spokesperson for sustainMare and work package-leader in the CoastalFutures project, took part in the second quarterly meeting of the 70 GW Offshore Wind Real-World Laboratory in Hanover. Representing Hereon, he participated in a dual role: as a social science expert from CoastalFutures and as a project partner within the Reallabor itself.
Dr. Kannen actively contributed to interdisciplinary discussions on governance, marine spatial planning, multi-use, and societal trade-offs. The event served as an important platform for cross-sector dialogue between science, administration, industry, and civil society.
The collaboration between CoastalFutures/sustainMare and the Reallabor is formally anchored in CoastalFutures-2 (Work Package 6). It aims to establish structured knowledge exchange between research and practice to support a sustainable offshore energy transition.

sustainMare Lecture Series 2025 (in German)

In the summer semester 2025, the third edition of the sustainMare Lecture Series took place in the general lecture system of the University of Hamburg. more

New Insights on the impact of shipping traffic on the spatial distribution of harbour porpoises in the North Sea

Grafics: Remi Pigeault

In CoastalFutures, we aim to identify the processes that lead to interannual and seasonal variability in marine mammal distribution and to make predictions about spatial and temporal changes in their occurrence.
In our recent publication, we used species distribution models to investigate the impact of maritime traffic on the spatial distribution of the harbour porpoise in the North Sea. Our findings suggest that the abundance of these animals decreased in areas with high maritime traffic, both in terms of the number of vessels and the approach distance of these vessels. Significant effects were detected up to 9 km away, highlighting the need to consider this anthropogenic factor for the conservation of harbour porpoises in the marine spatial planning process.
Our findings address knowledge gaps regarding the factors influencing the distribution of marine mammals and their behavioural adaptations in response to human activities. This will enable us to parameterise these responses in the ecosystem model.
The tool we have developed to analyse the substantial data volume of ship positions from the Automatic Identification System (AIS) is now available for download on the sustainMare website (Products). https://www.sustainmare.de/112656/index.php.de

Pigeault, R., Ruser, A. Geelhoed, S.C.V., Haelters, J., Nachtsheim, D.A., Ramírez-Martínez, N.C., Schaffeld, T., Sveegaard, S., Siebert, U., Gilles, A. (2024). Maritime traffic alters distribution of the harbour porpoise in the North Sea. Marine Pollution Bulletin 208: 116925. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2024.116925

Coastal Summer School 2024

This year's Coastal Summer School features the DAM project sustainMare and will take place from 02. - 13. September 2024 on the island of Helgoland. The focus is on the topic "Offshore Windfarms: innovative and sustainable options for multiuse concepts?" The target group are Msc grades, Phd students and young researchers already working in the field.
The coastal summer school is realized in cooperation of some of the leading national centres for coastal research in Germany: Leibniz Institute for Baltic Research Warnemünde, Helmholtz Centre Hereon Geesthacht and Alfred Wegener Institute for Polar and Marine Research (Helmholtz Association of German Research Centers).
Further information can be found on the following webpage, please register by 30.04.2024 at the latest. Summer School Website

Heatwaves Below the Surface: Dr. Gröger Unpacks Seasonal Ocean Extremes

a) Typical air pressure anomaly promoting marine heatwaves during the summer months (June-October)
b) Typical air pressure anomaly promoting marine heatwaves during the winter months (December-March)
Hatching denotes statistical significant anomalies
Source: Gröger, M., Dutheil, C., Börgel, F. et al. Drivers of marine heatwaves in a stratified marginal sea. Clim Dyn 62, 3231–3243 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00382-023-07062-5

On June 13, 2024, Dr. Matthias Gröger from the IOW and CoastalFutures project presented a webinar hosted by the University of Szczecin, exploring how marine heatwaves form in marginal seas like the Baltic. His research reveals that summer events stem from local atmospheric blocking and calm winds, while winter heatwaves are driven by warm Atlantic air and shifting wind patterns. The findings highlight the need for season-specific strategies in ocean climate research.

Second annual meeting of the CoastalFuture project: A step towards a sustainable coastal future

2nd CF Meeting 03.06.2024

The second annual meeting of the CoastalFuture project took place from 3 to 5 June at the renowned Helmholtz Centre Hereon. The event focussed on the key topics of sand management, climate change and offshore wind energy (OFW). In addition, the meeting offered a deep insight into current research on hydrogen and OFW.

As a transdisciplinary project dealing with the impact of climate change on coastal regions, the CoastalFuture project presented its latest findings in various research areas.

The participants of the meeting had the opportunity to exchange views on the innovative modelling tools developed in the project to investigate future use scenarios and the impacts of climate change. In addition, holistic modelling methods developed to support the management and assessment of climate change impacts as well as use and protection measures were presented.

The project works closely with authorities and stakeholders to develop and evaluate future scenarios and conservation measures. The contributions of the representatives of these groups during the annual meeting contributed significantly to the discussions.

The second annual meeting of the CoastalFuture project was an important step towards a sustainable future for our coastal regions. It showed how solutions to the challenges of climate change can be found through collaboration and innovation.

Facing the future: Is sustainable ocean management possible?

At the kick-off event for decision-makers and stakeholders as part of the One Ocean Summit in Bergen, Norway, this question was generally answered in the affirmative. However, the challenges were also pointed out, e.g. that space in the North Sea is a finite resource (Prof. Ignacio Herrera Anchustegui), and that the consequences of the planned expansion of offshore wind energy by 2050 will be enormous and are still largely unknown (Prof. Corinna Schrum from CoastalFutures).
The panel also discussed the principle of sustainability and made it clear in the discussion that sustainability is more than "just" nature conservation. The generation of clean and affordable energy, food production and climate protection are also part of the UN's sustainable development goals.
The event took place in Håkons Hall, Norway's first castle dating back to 1261. to the event

sustainMare Lecture Series 2024 (in German)

In the summer semester 2024, the second edition of the sustainMare Lecture Series will take place in the general lecture system of the University of Hamburg.
In addition, it was selected as an elective module for the extracurricular study program "Certificate Intercultural Competence", i.e. students from Hamburg University can have regular participation credited as academic achievement. The CIC is an extracurricular course offered by the University of Hamburg. The certificate is awarded to students of the University of Hamburg who are particularly involved in intercultural topics. It is a recognition of intercultural commitment and an additional award for students. And for us as well. However, our lectures are still in German only. more