MUSES was a two-year H2020 funded project that explored the opportunities for Multi-Use (MU) in European Seas across five EU sea basins (Baltic, North, Mediterranean, Black and Eastern Atlantic Seas). MUSES built on existing knowledge to explore the real opportunities for MU in European Seas, including the scope for innovation and Blue Growth potential and to present practical solutions on how to overcome existing barriers and minimise risks associated with MU development.
The objectives of the MUSES project were to:
• Explore the opportunities for MU in European Seas, including the scope for innovation and Blue Growth potential
• Provide an understanding of environmental, spatial, economic & societal benefits of co-location
• Highlight inappropriate regulatory, operational, environmental, health and safety, societal and legal aspects
• Present practical solutions on how to overcome existing barriers and minimize risks associated with MU development whilst maximising local benefits
The overall goal of MUSES was to develop an Action Plan (AP) to further promote the MU concept across Europe. The research undertaken within the MUSES project, throughout all European sea basins, has revealed that a much wider range of opportunities for creating positive synergies among different maritime uses exist compared to what has been previously associated with the MU concept. The AP shows that some of the MUs researched are already a reality today. Even though such combinations may not substantially impact general economic growth, they may provide economic benefits at the local scale and other socio-cultural added values for coastal communities, as well as a shift of perspective on how different uses and users can work together rather than being separate. A wider recognition and active promotion of such small scale and local MU combinations is needed to advance MU implementation. This can build confidence in the MU concept and pave the way for future MU combinations, which require joint planning and development efforts to become a reality in the future. Also, new technological solutions such as floating offshore wind farms, hydrogen energy storage or wave energy generation technologies can tap into a wider range of socio-economic and environmental benefits if MU solutions are considered in their designs right from the outset, through the application of the life cycle assessment, systems design approach or circular economy principles. This would increase the R&D competitiveness of the European market as benefits can be derived from its recognition and promotion as an innovation hub for MU through technology and knowledge transfer to other parts of the world.
