Facilitating research and real-life testing
The unique interaction between marine and maritime business and research is what sets Ostend Science Park apart. Our research and real-life testing facilities ensure that you can market high-end products faster.
Curious to know what research expertise and infrastructure is available at Ostend Science Park and which solutions are offered for major Blue Economy challenges?
Get access to onsite world renown marine and maritime researchers, research groups and facilities of Ghent University at Ostend Science Park. Also, get in touch with the residents in Bluebridge to connect to other offsite research and testing facilities and to link your business with the most suitable communities, consortia and liaison networks within Ghent University to provide tailor-made solutions for your challenges.
Onsite research and testing facilities
StressChron
Unique facilities for in-depth stress physiological research. The global intensification in aquaculture has led to an increasing threat for fish performance as chronic stress leads to reduced growth, reproduction, immune suppression, and higher mortality. Our facilities offer new technologies to study the effect of stress on individual fish through-out their life cycle using common carp as model.
Multispecies Hatchery
Finding suitable starting material is a major challenge in aquaculture. Our lab combines expert knowledge with high technological hatchery facilities to boost your aquaculture activities. We offer innovative hatchery techniques, integrated RAS systems as well as ecosystem-based water management approaches, and so much more.
This lab will be operational in 2022, but already open for R&D project proposals
Saltwater Wave Flume
Tidal currents and waves have a major impact on coastal towns and blue economic activities. Our facility offers a unique salwater wave flume that allows to study the interactions between waves and man-made structures, including live marine organisms (e.g. plants, fish) in your setup.
This lab will be operational in 2022, but already open for R&D project proposals
Biotechnology-Biodiscovery Lab
From pollution to solution, our multi-functional lab offers a wide range of technologies to boost your blue economy activities. This includes state-of-the-art biotechnological facilities develop new marine natural products, chemical synthesis of new polymers for industrial applications, micro- and nano-plastic research.
This lab will be operational in 2022, but already open for R&D project proposals
Applied Ecology Lab
Marine ecosystems are complex environments where economic activities can impact biodiversity. Our wet lab facilities offer infrastructure to understand human and other impacts on marine ecosystems including temperature controlled mesocosm facilities, state-of-the-art incubation rooms for algae and plants.
This lab will be operational in 2022, but already open for R&D project proposals
E-cube
The E-cube is a zero energy test house for researchers developing energy efficient building components and systems. It is a full scale test facility, operated by the Research Group Building Physics of Ghent University, to investigate innovations designed for the zero energy buildings of the future in realistic climatic conditions. Recent research contributes to the development of energy efficient ventilation systems, and investigates the influence of environmental parameters (wind speed, direction, solar irradiance, temperature, relative humidity) on the indoor air quality with particular focus on volatiles released by building materials.
Coastal & Ocean Basin - COB
Next door to Ostend Science Park, in the Flanders Maritime Laboratory, all types of scale models of offshore structures, structures for coastal protection, floating wind turbines, wave energy converters, and much more can be tested in the wave basin to study their design and behavior under the influence of waves, currents and wind. The Coastal and Ocean Basin is a collaboration between UGent, KU Leuven and Flanders Hydraulics Research.
Towing tank
At Flanders Maritime Laboratory, the fully automated shallow water towing tank installation (175mx20mx1m) will test ship models up to 8 meter long in both captive and free running mode. These tests will help to understand the manoeuvring behavior of ships in shallow and confined water.
Offsite research and testing facilities
Blue Accelerator
The Blue Accelerator test platform, just outside the port of Ostend, offers a broad range of possibilities to develop and test new Blue Energy products and technologies in real life sea conditions. The test platform consists of a broad range of sensors, measurement equipment and telecommunication systems in a living lab setting. The platform allows testing in different marine and maritime research and innovation domains.
Facilitating: we link your company with our research teams
Marine@Ugent
An interfaculty research consortium consolidating all marine and maritime expertise within Ghent University, through one single point of contact. Get in touch to find our researchers working on marine and maritime topics.
EnerGhentIC
The interdisciplinary community of Ghent University researchers working on the energy challenge. This cross-disciplinary business development center brings together about 180 Ghent University researchers and focuses on the application of sustainable energy technologies with the explicit goal to disseminate research results and to bring them to the market.
BLUEGent
The Industrial Research Fund BLUeGent business development center unites more than 30 research groups which perform research in the Blue Growth domain. Together they aim to translate their academic research and expertise into business solutions and applications. Your single point of contact for blue growth R&D ideas or your business proposals.
Power-Link
Power-link is the energy transition platform of Ghent University, focusing on local and European carbon reduction and energy transition projects. It establishes links between industry and research, initiates, coordinates and supports scientific research projects on sustainable and renewable energy. Your partner for coordination, administration and communication and/or for establishing partnerships in these type of projects.
Overall contact person for Blue Research at Ostend Science Park
Jana Asselman
Assistant Professor
+32 59 31 49 88
Jana.asselman@ugent.be
News
Everyone happy with the blue economy?
Based on sound scientific methods, UGent researchers and partners want to develop a toolbox that allows dialogue with citizens. By involving residents and tourist in our changing coastline, we create a basis of support for the often complex offshore projects such as coastal protection, blue food, port activities and coastal tourism. In this way, we aim to promote sustainable, economic activities that contribute to the transition of the Coastal Region.
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Blue Accelerator confirms its status as a major European test lab with new project
Oceans of Energy is planning to deploy a 3 MW off-shore floating PV array in the North Sea in the test zone managed by the team of the Blue Accelerator with headquarters at Bluebridge, Ostend Science Park. With the announcement of the new project, Blue Accelerator confirms its status as a major European test lab for new developments in marine or ocean energy.
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