The AIR Centre led a three-day meeting in Nigeria between March 10 and 12, that brought together Portuguese research, industry, and diplomatic representatives in a series of engagements aimed at formalising and expanding cooperation with Nigerian institutions in ocean science, space technology, and blue economy development.
Last November, the second edition of the Atlantic Aquaculture Forum took place on Terceira Island, in the Azores, bringing together experts, policymakers, researchers, and industry practitioners for two days of open discussions on the future of aquaculture in the Atlantic.
The European Ocean Days 2026, held from 2 to 5 March in Brussels, brought together ocean science, policy, and innovation communities to take stock of progress and shape the future of Europe’s ocean agenda. Among the key voices at the event was Valerie de Liedekerke, Head of Ocean Policy & Stakeholders’ Engagement at the AIR Centre.
The scale and unpredictability of Sargassum blooms demand a coordinated, science-driven response – one that connects satellite data, in situ observation, forecasting systems, and local knowledge into a coherent whole. This is precisely the mission of the Sargassum Information Hub.
Antarctica is more than a frozen frontier. It is a living laboratory where resilient microbial communities thrive. In 2023, Sharath Chandra Thota earned a PhD scholarship at University of Porto (FCUP) and CIIMAR supported by the AIR Centre. That opportunity has now taken him to King Sejong Station on the Antarctic Peninsula, where he has just completed a month‑long scientific expedition.
The Azores rocky shore dataset was published on the Ocean Biodiversity Information System (OBIS). This dataset represents the first scientific outcome of the Workshop Enhancing Marine Biodiversity Data Collection and Publishing, co-organised by the Marine Biodiversity Observation Network (MBON) and the AIR Centre.
The AIR Centre hosted the 16th Interdisciplinary Inter-Institutional Meeting in Sciences and Engineering (EI2CE) on February 19-20, 2026, in Terceira Island – the first time this Brazilian scientific series ventured outside Brazil.
On 10-12 February 2026, the Sustainable Blue Economy Partnership (SBEP) held its second biennial Symposium in Bucharest, Romania, under the title “Full Sail Ahead Towards the Sustainable Blue Economy.”