The WIN-BIG and SMARTDEC projects from CESAM were distinguished at the Atlantic Project Awards 2025, which annually recognise excellence within the scope of the Atlantic Action Plan 2.0 – A New Approach to the Atlantic Maritime Strategy. The distinctions were announced during the 12th Atlantic Stakeholder Platform Conference in Galway (Ireland), marking five years since the launch of the current Atlantic Action Plan and gathering representatives of the Atlantic community to assess progress and discuss the challenges of the blue economy across the Atlantic maritime space. Both distinguished projects are coordinated by Helena Vieira, a researcher at CESAM/DAO.
The WIN-BIG project, funded by the European Maritime Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund (EMFAF), won in the Blue Skills and Ocean Literacy category and aims to address knowledge gaps regarding the role and participation of women in the European Blue Economy. Through extensive data collection and pan-European surveys, the project seeks to generate a more accurate and comprehensive understanding of gender dynamics across blue economy sectors and the six EU marine basins.
In addition to identifying skill gaps that limit women’s access to and progression in blue careers, WIN-BIG is developing capacity-building opportunities tailored to regional contexts and emerging sectors such as the blue bioeconomy, sustainable tourism, marine renewable energies and robotics. The project has generated significant impact by inspiring young girls and professionals, promoting female role models and new forms of science communication through the Women Ocean Champions campaign and the itinerant Pop-up exhibitions. These initiatives will ultimately contribute to the creation of a European roadmap for strengthening women’s skills in the Blue Economy.
In the Atlantic Ports category, the SMARTDEC – Smart Clusters for Maritime Decarbonisation project was also distinguished. Integrated in the INTERREG Atlantic Area 2021–2027 programme, SMARTDEC aims to accelerate the decarbonisation of the maritime sector through the creation of an Atlantic network of regional hubs in Portugal, Spain, France and Ireland. Bringing together universities, companies, policymakers and civil society, the project promotes cooperation and the adoption of clean technologies and innovative solutions to reduce emissions from maritime transport, thus contributing to a sustainable energy transition and to strengthening the blue economy in the Atlantic region.
Helena Vieira, researcher at CESAM/DAO and coordinator of both projects, emphasises that “it is a great honour to see two UA projects, in which I coordinate the consortium or the national team respectively, being distinguished at the Atlantic Project Awards 2025. These recognitions reflect not only the work and dedication of the teams involved, but also the growing relevance of the research carried out at CESAM and UA in addressing real challenges of the blue economy. These awards provide additional motivation for us to continue working collaboratively, with our national and international partners, towards a more sustainable, fair and innovative blue future.”
Original news published in: Notícias UA, 13 November 2025
