The launch of this €30 million project brought together partners from Croatia, Italy, and Norway, as well as representatives from Croatian and EU scientific authorities and diplomatic officials.
We are at the beginning of a transformative journey that will redefine Croatia’s role and position it on the global map of key players in maritime robotics and technology, all with the goal of achieving a sustainable blue economy, said project leader Nikola Mišković from the Zagreb Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computing (FER).
The project represents a crucial investment in Croatia’s future, not only by financing physical infrastructure but also by providing opportunities for future researchers, innovators, and engineers. The aim is to attract top talent from around the world and create an ecosystem where their ideas can flourish.
The centre of excellence will serve as a hub for collaboration between industry, academia, and policymakers. Our pilot experimental areas - a smart marina, smart shellfish farms, and a test site for autonomous vessels - are not just technological advancements, they also act as bridges connecting our regions, enabling the exchange of expertise and resources, Mišković said.
Vedran Bilas, dean of FER, emphasised the faculty’s commitment to working with all stakeholders to transform Croatia into a high-tech country.
We will never yield to systemic inconsistencies, a rigid adherence to regulations, or institutional barriers that stifle creativity and development, he said, adding that he speaks not only as FER’s dean but also as a representative of the citizens of Croatia and Europe who have chosen to stay and take a more difficult path toward a better life.
Science, Education and Youth Minister Radovan Fuchs described the project as a fusion of maritime technologies, artificial intelligence, and robotics, expressing confidence that it will yield results aligned with both Croatian government priorities and EU policies.
I hope this will grow into a centre of knowledge and technology with applications not only in Croatia and participating countries but across Europe and the world, Fuchs said. He highlighted Croatia’s increasing investment in science, noting that this year’s allocation is 1.39% of GDP, 30% higher than in previous years, with continued growth planned.
Slavka Otčenaševa, a policy officer in the Enlargement Programme at the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Research and Innovation, said this was Croatia’s first such project and that the Commission fully supported it. She also expects strong national backing.
The project’s success will not only be significant for Croatia but also for the Enlargement Programme, she said, underscoring the need for greater investment in science. She noted that the current EU average investment is 2.2% of GDP, with a target of 3%.
The coordinator and founder of CoE MARBLE is FER with the following partners - the Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Italy’s National Research Council, Croatia's Ruđer Bošković Institute, MARINN - Maritime Innovation Cluster, DIH Agrifood Croatia, and the Croatian Ministry of Science, Education and Youth.
Infrastructure investments will include CoE MARBLE’s headquarters at the Brodarski Institute in Zagreb and three pilot sites in Šibenik and Rijeka: a smart mussel farm, a smart marina, and an autonomous vessel test site.