In January 2023, Minister Harbers visited the Offshore Expertise Center of Rijkswaterstaat.
[This is a video production by Rijkswaterstaat, Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management, with the title: Digitalization of the North Sea 23th of January 2023]
[Dronefootage of the Haringvlietdam.]
[Welcome sign from Rijkswaterstaat Offshore Expertise Centrum.]
[A vehicle arrives.]
[Minister Mark Harbers, Minister of Infrastructure and Water Management is welcomed by employees of Rijkswaterstaat.]
[Minister on stage.]
[Mark Harbers, Minister of Infrastructure and Water Management]
I'm very glad it worked out to be here today, and I look forward to giving all those different applications that are developed here a huge push forward. And I look forward to discovering many more in the next hours to come. Thank you.
[Wim van Urk, Maritime Policy team coordinator of Infrastructure and Water Management]
The North Sea is already one of the most heavily used seas in the world. And it gets busier in the years to come. The North Sea is really becoming a powerhouse for Dutch society. And at the same time, you want enough space for shipping, for fishing and for the other users of the North Sea.
[Presentation on a video screen.]
[Jakob Asjes, Program director MONS]
That requires a lot of knowledge, and knowledge is impossible without data. Collecting data on the North Sea is incredibly valuable. Then we, as ecological scientists, can have tremendous benefit from it too.
[Gerrit-Jan van der Toon, Department head of shipping traffic management and development]
Basically, we are going to realize a data grid on the North Sea to get information from the North Sea, with which we can maintain the traditional way the North Sea was used and combine it with new possibilities. And we can make sure that it is done safely as well.
[A speaker stands in front of two sea buoys.]
[Sharon Tatman, Deltares advisor and program manager North Sea]
Our knowledge institution is involved in research at sea. We develop software and tools for policy, but also for other stakeholders and users
on the North Sea. To support them in making their decisions. And therefore we require data. And we also need that data for our own knowledge development.
[Nathalie Scheidegger, Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Food Security and Nature]
I am concerned with co-use within wind farms. We want to strengthen the ecology and also enable maritime entrepreneurship.
[The group walks past various speakers.]
[Dirk Kraak, North Sea fisherman]
I have submitted a project proposal related to the development of MariParks. MariParks could be designed so that, in addition to wind energy, you could also breed fish and grow seaweed. And develop passive fishing as well as active fishing. When these connect, the topic of Digitization of the North Sea comes back into focus.
[Jan Dekker, KNMI]
It's important for us to participate in this effort to monitor the weather at the North Sea. The shift in measurement methods will help us make the Netherlands safer, and the North Sea safer.
[Minister shakes the hands of several people.]
[Bastiaan Maltha, Kustwacht - programmamanager maritime security]
We, as the Coast Guard, have to be able to act. Preferably to prevent, but also to intervene if something goes wrong. Therefore a proper visualization of data is very important. We need to have a good idea of what is on the North Sea and what is sailing on the North Sea. What's happening in the North Sea? The Digitization of the North Sea project is crucial to us because our current resources don't yet allow us to see enough of what's happening, and that's why we attach great importance to this project.
[Minister Harbers speaks to the viewer in a video upload.]
[Mark Harbers, Minister of Infrastructure and Water Management]
This is collaboration at its best. From knowledge institutions to
business to governments. Eight ministries are working together on this and all of them bring their knowledge to the table and try to actually give shape to the Digitalization of the North Sea. And if we succeed, we'll be building something unparalleled on a global scale, and therefore likely to offer countless opportunities for application elsewhere in the world. I'm excited about what's happening here. It's a truly beautiful example of Dutch excellence.
[Minister on stage.]
[Mark Harbers, Minister of Infrastructure and Water Management]
I would say to all your initiatives: Keep it up! Thank you.
[Footage of the Offshore Expertise Centrum.]
[Logo Rijkswaterstaat. For more information, visit DigitaleNoordzee.nl or email DigitaleNoordzee@RWS.nl.]
[This is a video production by Rijkswaterstaat, Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management 2023.]