The BLACKBOX (FerryBox in the Black Sea) project has officially launched in Istanbul, bringing together partners from Türkiye, Romania, Bulgaria and Georgia to strengthen marine environmental monitoring and regional data sharing.

Led by the TÜBİTAK Marmara Research Center Coordination Office, the project aims to establish a network of FerryBox monitoring systems to collect continuous data on key environmental parameters, including temperature, salinity, dissolved oxygen, pH, chlorophyll and carbon dioxide levels.

The planned network will include four fixed systems in Istanbul, Varna, Constanța and Batumi, alongside a mobile system. By complementing traditional sampling methods with continuous observations and shared digital infrastructure, BLACKBOX aims to improve understanding of environmental changes in the Black Sea and support science-based decision-making.

Running from March 2026 to July 2028, the project also seeks to strengthen cross-border scientific cooperation and the long-term sustainability of marine observation systems.

Read more: here.