European satellite data offer ample opportunities for the Dutch coast and waters.
Investigating water quality, monitoring our coastal defenses, promoting biodiversity, and even saving lives. It is all possible with satellite data, as became clear during a thematic day on July 2 about the Copernicus Marine Service, organized by NLSA and the Belgian BELSPO. Conclusion: the data is already there, so let’s make the most of it for society.
On May 11, 2020, a tragedy unfolded off the coast of Scheveningen. The algae species Phaeocystis had produced a large amount of foam, which was propelled towards the harbor by a strong northerly wind. There, a group of highly experienced surfers was completely taken by surprise by a meters-high blanket of foam. Five of them did not survive. Dimitry van der Zande, a researcher at the Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences (KBIN), wondered: how can we prevent such a tragic accident in the future?
This spring, Van der Zande mapped the algal bloom in the North Sea using high-resolution data from the Copernicus Sentinel 2 satellite. This made it known where and when large amounts of foam would appear. When the waves rose and the wind increased, the coast guard was alerted. In turn, they warned beach clubs and closed parts of the beach. There were no incidents. ‘I would like to believe that we helped make the beach safer,’ says Van der Zande, ‘by taking action based on data.’
KBIN is now applying the same research method to other issues as well. What impact does dredging have on the seabed? And how do you protect the ecology around offshore wind farms? The common denominator in these applications is freely accessible satellite data from the Copernicus Marine Service (CMEMS), combined with in situ data and computer models.
Copernicus services
The Copernicus Marine Service (CMEMS) on the coastal and aquatic world is one of six thematic services of the European Earth observation programme Copernicus. The other services cover the atmosphere, land, climate change, security and emergencies.
Caribbean Netherlands
The Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management is also actively considering the added value of satellite data, says Nick Boxem of the Maritime Affairs Directorate. From restoring oyster beds to protecting breeding birds, and from monitoring water quality to limiting the damage caused by invasive species. He also sees opportunities in the Caribbean Netherlands: reducing the harmful impact of sargassum, monitoring coral, and protecting mangrove forests.
Rijkswaterstaat has since gained experience with the mangroves, explains Marco de Bruijn. In 2024, the secure Copernicus surveillance service EMSA detected a large amount of oil in the ocean near Trinidad and Tobago. The oil flowed towards the island of Bonaire. There, a special structure was built in the water to divert the oil to a sandy beach, where it could be cleaned up more easily. In this way, a natural disaster was prevented.
NLSA involves students
More potential satellite applications for the Caribbean Netherlands came from students in Leiden, Delft, and Rotterdam. The Netherlands Space Agency asked them to conduct research via the LDE Thesis Lab. During the CMEMS theme day, nine Master’s students from very different disciplines presented their graduation research to NLSA Director Harm van de Wetering and other interested parties.
The graduation research projects were very diverse. Christopher Hastings (Urban Management and Development, Erasmus), for example, investigated how satellite data can contribute to the energy transition on Bonaire. Kim Bosch (Management of Technology, TU Delft) mapped out how the islands can mitigate flood risks using Earth observation data. And Wenzhen Chen (Air and Space Law, Leiden) investigated how governments in the Caribbean can derive more benefit from satellite data through proper governance.
Digital twin
Lorinc Meszaros of Deltares points to a trend in the world of Earth observation: the development of information systems in the form of ‘digital twins’. A digital twin is a virtual representation of the real world, in which satellite data, in situ data, and computer models come together. This creates a tool that allows you to model a forecast for the future. What happens if an oil tanker leaks at a given location? How can you restore seagrass in the Wadden Sea to influence wave force? Can large quantities of shellfish help store CO2 on the bottom of the North Sea?
Deltares and the Flanders Institute for the Sea (VLIZ) contribute to the European Digital Twin Ocean (EDITO), which also contains data from CMEMS. It is a digital toolkit that users can work with at different levels, says Meszaros: ‘People can “simply” take a look to see what the twin has to offer them. They can use the twin to solve a concrete case. And they can contribute to the twin by making their results available to everyone.’
Data available
Copernicus’s CMEMS service already offers countless possibilities for end users. From vegetation monitoring to seabed research, and from climate adaptation to the development of smarter dredging techniques.
‘Usually, the availability of data is not the problem; the data is there. We must start with the question: what problem needs to be solved? And then together – companies, institutions, governments – look for the possibilities.’
Harm van de Wetering, director NLSA
NLSA is looking for innovators
The Netherlands Space Agency helps companies that want to use space infrastructure and/or satellite data to solve societal challenges, promote sustainability, and enable economic growth. Companies with a good idea can apply for funding from the ESA programme Business Applications and Space Solutions (BASS). ESA BASS is a flexible and accessible program. You can apply with a feasibility study, a pilot project, or a growth project of a proven technology or service.
