uBlueTec: Powering the blue economy through underwater skills

Technologies deployed in underwater missions are essential to a range of strategic blue economy sectors, including offshore renewable energy, aquaculture, marine biodiversity conservation and underwater cultural heritage. Across these fields, a shared challenge persists: a shortage of skilled professionals capable of operating advanced underwater technologies in a sustainable way. Building these skills is essential to support climate-neutral activities across the blue economy.

The uBlueTec project, coordinated by the University of Aix-Marseille and backed by the European Maritime, Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund , developed innovative educational material supporting careers in underwater blue tecs. The project designed or upgraded more than 30 courses covering cutting-edge underwater technologies, digital and green skills. It carried out 37 pilots to test and validate trainings, combining theoretical and practical field experience. The developed educational material and curriculum modules are designed for students, professionals, young researchers and trainers in the blue technology sector.

Professor Kalliopi Baika, from Aix-Marseille University and uBlueTec Project Coordinator, said

"A core achievement of the uBlueTec project has been its investment in people. Through hands-on training and cross-sector collaboration, the project has helped develop the skills needed for emerging blue economy careers, while advancing knowledge about the ocean and supporting its long-term protection."

A dedicated knowledge hub and recruitment platform

Leveraging on the complementary expertise of project partners and on the cooperation with international organisations such as UNESCO, the uBlueTec project is making a lasting impact. The project established the uBlueTec Hubas a digital gateway which aggregates and promotes training opportunities in underwater technologies. The Hub includes modules such as marine robotics, coastal geomorphology and marine protected areas, underwater survey and excavation techniques, and a MOOC on green skillsfor creating a sustainable underwater technology solution.

The uBlueTec project deployed, in addition, an online recruitment platform, Bluetec.jobs, with job matching and skills gap analysis functionalities. The platform automatically pairs candidates with the most suitable positions in the blue economy, scientific diving and blue technologies sectors; it highlights weak areas in the candidate's profile against the job requirements, helping them to identify the needed skills before applying for the position.

Hands-on experiences for a reverberating impact

In December 2025, the project held an entrepreneurial acceleration bootcamp, a hands-on programme designed to help teams, students, researchers, startups and professionals transform their blue economy idea into a viable business solution. Six projects were selected and benefitted, on a first phase, from online training sessions on entrepreneurship, business development and pitching skills. On a second phase, they received individual mentoring sessions, targeted feedback on their business ideas and attended a 2-day bootcamp where they could pitch in front of a jury.

During its lifetime, the project led several piloting activities both at academic and professional level which included concrete field experiences. One example is the Aigina 2024 summer school on coastal and underwater archaeology where participants had an intensive hands-on experience in the submerged archaeological harbour site of the Aigina Island in Greece. They could explore underwater documentation technologies and drive underwater robots. The experience is documented in a videoproduced by the project.

Aligning skills with Europe's sustainable blue transition and the European Ocean Pact

The uBlueTec project contributes to the objectives of the European Ocean Pact particularly to advancing ocean research, knowledge, skills and innovation.

Moreover, it supports the UN Sustainable Development Goal 14 (Life below water), by promoting the sustainable use and protection of marine resources. It also aligns with key EU policies such as the sustainable blue economy and the EU biodiversity strategies, the skills agenda, the EU offshore renewable energy strategy and circular economy action plan.

The project is having its final event at the UNESCO international conference "New challenges for UW nature and cultural heritage tourism during the Ocean Decade" on 29 January 2026.

For a deep dive into the uBlueTec project and its activities follow them on social media (Instragram, LinkedIn, YouTube, Facebook, X, Bluesky, Threads), check their project factsheet and website, subscribe to their newsletter.

The University of Calabria (UNICAL), Italy

University of Zagreb, Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computing (UNIZG-FER), Croatia

Maritime Technology Cluster (mareFVG), Italy

BEIA Consult International (BEIA), Romania

Atlantis Consulting (ATL), Greece

Associacao Natureza Portugal (WWF Portugal), Portugal