On 15–16 January 2026, the Kick-off Meeting of the international project ALGAWA – Utilization of Macroalgae Biofilter for Wastewater Treatment (BSB01314) was held in Thessaloniki, Greece, within the framework of the Interreg NEXT Black Sea Basin Programme 2021–2027.
The Ukrainian Scientific Centre of Ecology of the Sea participates in the project as a consortium partner. The lead partner is the International Hellenic University (Special Account for Research Funds, Greece). The consortium also includes:
– National Institute for Marine Research and Development “Grigore Antipa” (Romania);
– Ondokuz Mayıs University (Türkiye).
The Kick-off Meeting agenda covered two working days and addressed both organizational and technical aspects of project implementation.
Day 1
During the first day, participants discussed:
the overall project implementation logic, its objectives, outputs, and target groups;
- the work plan structure, interlinkages between activities, and key milestones for the first four months;
- the project management system, as well as the roles and responsibilities of partners;
- internal procedures for document management, decision-making, and implementation follow-up;
- financial management, reporting, and rules for expenditure documentation and procurement;
- approaches to quality assurance, risk management, and change control;
- communication and visual identity requirements under the Programme.
The meeting also included dedicated sessions with representatives of the Joint Secretariat of the Interreg NEXT Black Sea Basin Programme, focusing on reporting, grant contract modification procedures, and project communication and visibility requirements.
Day 2
The second day focused on the technical planning of ongoing project tasks, in particular:
- defining the criteria and current status of pilot site selection;
- identifying baseline data needs related to pollutants and biological components;
- harmonizing monitoring templates;
- discussing the concept of demonstration floating wetland systems;
- considering approaches to the selection of materials and substrates;
- developing the monitoring plan, including parameters, schedule, and quality control procedures;
- planning the organization of Living Labs and engagement with local stakeholders;
- preparing the implementation plan for the first reporting period.
A separate practical element of the programme was the site visit to potential locations for the deployment of floating biofilters in the Thessaloniki area, where participants assessed site accessibility, safety conditions, hydrodynamics, and permitting requirements.
Importance of UkrSCES participation
UkrSCES’s participation in the Kick-off Meeting made it possible to align approaches to project implementation, discuss coordination mechanisms among partners, and define the first practical steps for launching the planned activities.
The ALGAWA project is aimed at the development and demonstration of floating wetland biofilters combining macrophytes and macroalgae for the removal of pollutants from aquatic environments across different types of aquatic ecosystems. The project is expected to contribute to pollution mitigation in the Black Sea Basin and to strengthen cross-border cooperation in the field of environmental monitoring and nature-based solutions.
We invite you to follow the ALGAWA BSB01314 information channels to learn more about project implementation and results:
Website: http://algawa.food.ihu.gr
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/algawaproject
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/algawa
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The project ALGAWA BSB01314 – “Utilization of Macroalgae Biofilter for Wastewater Treatment” is implemented with funding from the Interreg VI-B NEXT Black Sea Basin Programme.
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