Ocean Autonomy Cluster and Testination leads a new ocean technology initiative to monitor the water quality at Havet, a popular city beach in Trondheim. The goal: safer swimming all year round.
Ocean Autonomy Cluster and several partner companies are launching a new project that will provide real-time water quality monitoring at Nyhavna, Trondheim’s urban fjord area. Combining autonomous platforms and sensor technology, the project delivers up-to-date information directly to both swimmers and city authorities.
— The fjord is part of the city. It should be safe to swim here, and we need to know when it’s not, says Frode Halvorsen, manager of Ocean Autonomy Cluster.
Although the water quality at Havet is generally good, occasional sewer overflows have caused temporary contamination. To improve transparency and safety, the project deploys sensors that monitor bacteria levels, temperature, and visibility in the water. The data will be made available through a digital platform accessible to the public.
— This may be a small step, but it’s an important one. It builds trust and provides safety, even when challenges arise, says Halvorsen.
"Pamela", an autonomous research drone developed by F&Z Solutions. Photo: Lars Bugge Aarset/Ocean Autonomy Cluster
Several cluster members are participating in the project, including Ocean Access, Kadabra, and F&Z Solutions, the latter being the developer of the autonomous research drone Pamela.
— Monitoring water quality is crucial for both people and the environment, and we have the technology to make a difference, says Andrea Faltynkova of F&Z Solutions.
— When you have tools in place for continuous measurements, it doesn’t just improve safety, it also increases our understanding of the issue, she adds.
NTNU is contributing research expertise, and the Norwegian Institute for Nature Research (NINA) has also expressed interest.
— The goal is to achieve real-time measurements of the water quality throughout the inner harbor basin at Nyhavna. Today, sampling is done manually a couple of times a week. This would be a game-changer, says Morten Breivik, Associate Professor at the Department of Engineering Cybernetics at NTNU.
With more than 50,000 annual visitors, Havet has become a popular public swimming facility in Trondheim. The team behind the initiative welcomes the new collaboration.
— It’s rewarding to see ocean technology applied to real-world challenges in the city. This collaboration shows how business, academia, and the local community can create value together. Swimming in the sea is no longer limited to the short summer season — people bathe year-round across Norway, says Erlend Mogård Larsen, founder of Havet.
— We support full transparency and clear documentation that the water is safe, even during irregular events. This initiative helps us achieve that, adds Kim Aasli, general manager at Havet.
The team aims to deploy the first set of sensors during a pilot phase this summer, in collaboration with Trondheim Municipality and NTNU.
— Real-time water quality monitoring in the urban fjord basin would be a national first, says Breivik.
— The fact that the tech environments at Nyhavna are joining forces with one of its main cultural venues is also quite unique. It shows the power of combining local culture and short-traveled technology, he adds.
— This could serve as a model for urban fjord water monitoring across the country, says Halvorsen.
For questions about the project, contact:
Ocean Autonomy Cluster, Frode Halvorsen: +47 918 45 969 / frode@fi-nor.no
NTNU, Morten Breivik: +47 415 25 881 / morten.breivik@ntnu.no
F&Z Solutions, Andrea Faltynkova: +47 967 06 776 / andrea@fzsolutions.no
Ocean Access, Fredrik Lilleøkdal: +47 988 41 415 / fredrik@oceanaccess.no
Kadabra, Espen Jørgensen: +47 930 02 430 / espen@kadabra.com
Havet, Kim Aasli: +47 926 30 274
Havet, Erlend Mogård Larsen: +47 911 57 449