The Department of Marine Sciences and Technology Engineering at Karadeniz Technical University (KTU) is proud to announce the official launch of ROWER (Restoring Oceans and Waters in European Regions), an ambitious 4-year Horizon Europe project funded under Grant Agreement No. 101294308. Bringing together a diverse international consortium of academic, industry, and research partners, the ROWER project addresses the urgent loss of marine and freshwater biodiversity, aiming to restore aquatic ecosystems while supporting the blue economy and local communities. To mark the official start of the project, a comprehensive three-day transnational kick-off meeting was held in Tallinn, Estonia, bringing together project coordinators, work package leaders, and case study area representatives to set strategic milestones and operational frameworks. 

The kick-off program featured intensive plenary sessions, working group breakouts, and case study presentations:

• Day 1: Official Kick-off & Strategic Alignment (Tuesday, Nov 3, 2026) Hosted hybridly from Tallinn, the first day commenced with welcome remarks by project coordinators Jonne Kotta and Elis Vollmer (UT), followed by an address from Project Officer Joanna Irena Przedrzymirska-Ziolkowska. Partners reviewed core project goals, governance structures, and work package methodologies spanning stakeholder co-design (WP2), restoration tools (WP3), case study applications (WP4), and the overarching blueprint for protection (WP6). The day concluded with targeted working groups focusing on restoration plans, stakeholder engagement, and communication strategies.

• Day 2: Technical Solutions & Case Study Overviews (Wednesday, Nov 4, 2026) Day two featured a series of turbo presentations highlighting various international Case Study Areas (CSAs) ranging from Svalbard and Norway to the Baltic Sea and New Zealand. Afternoon sessions engaged partners in practical solution mapping, sharing barrier-overcoming experiences, and building components for the ROWER Decision Support System, followed by a technical field excursion and a networking dinner at Tallinn's historic seaplane harbor.

• Day 3: Regional Case Studies & Administrative Decisions (Thursday, Nov 5, 2026) The final day featured the second round of CSA turbo presentations. Significantly, Karadeniz Technical University (KTU) faculty members, including Prof. Dr. CoÅŸkun Erüz, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Rafet ÇaÄŸrı Öztürk, and Assoc. Prof. Dr. Yahya Terzi—actively participated in the panels [cite:]. During the Southern Black Sea session, the KTU team shared strategic plans for ecological restoration conducted by KTU Faculty of Marine Sciences (KTU FMS) in the Southeast Black Sea of Türkiye, gathering valuable feedback and input from the international panel. The meeting concluded with joint administrative decisions regarding advisory boards, quality control guidelines, and upcoming consortium meetings.