Portunia

💎 Idea

Portunia is a decision-support platform for ports and coastal authorities that helps them flag possible marine pollution events early, estimate likely drift, and prioritize response through a 3D operational twin of the port environment.

Marine pollution near ports is difficult to manage because decision-makers must quickly understand three things at once: what may be happening on the water, where it is likely to move next, and which assets are exposed. A possible spill can threaten berths, ferry approaches, beaches, aquaculture sites, and nearby coastal ecosystems, while fragmented information slows down intervention. Oil spills and other marine pollution can damage both coastal habitats and local economies, and coastal zones are already under pressure from pollution and over-exploitation. 

Portunia addresses this by combining Copernicus Earth observation and marine information with Galileo-enabled positioning. The platform flags possible oil-slick or spill-like anomalies, estimates probable drift using marine conditions, and visualises the incident in a 3D harbor context so operators can see which areas are most exposed. Rather than claiming to identify every pollutant from space, Portunia is designed as an early-warning and intervention-support tool: it helps authorities decide where to inspect first, what to close or reroute, and how to reduce environmental and operational impact. This fits the CASSINI challenge focus on monitoring pollution, tracking contamination sources, and enabling timely interventions. 

🛰️ EU space technologies

Portunia uses a combination of Copernicus and Galileo services to build a more operational view of coastal pollution risk.

Copernicus Sentinel-1 is relevant because SAR imagery is already used operationally in Europe to detect possible oil on the sea surface, help identify potential polluters, and monitor spill evolution during maritime emergencies. Official Copernicus guidance also notes that these detections must be treated carefully, because natural phenomena can create similar signatures; for that reason, Portunia frames Sentinel-1 outputs as possible spill events requiring validation, not as definitive chemical diagnosis. 

Copernicus Sentinel-2 adds value in coastal and near-shore zones by capturing water-quality-related signals such as turbidity, chlorophyll-related indicators, and visible changes in water conditions. ESA explicitly notes that Sentinel-2 can support water-quality measurements and change detection, including information relevant to whether water is safe or unsafe for use. In Portunia, this improves context around coastal plumes and near-shore disturbance. 

Copernicus Marine Service provides open ocean and regional marine information on the physical and biogeochemical state of the sea. For Portunia, this is important because currents and related marine conditions can help estimate the likely movement of a surface spill or plume and improve response prioritisation. 

Galileo brings value on the operational side. EUSPA states that Galileo provides improved positioning, navigation and timing information, including services for higher-accuracy use cases. In Portunia, Galileo supports the precise geolocation of response vessels, field inspections, and intervention logging, which strengthens coordination once a possible event has been flagged. 

Together, these technologies allow Portunia to move beyond a static pollution map and toward a more credible workflow: flag → validate → estimate drift → assess exposure → support response. 

EU Space for Water

Challenge addressed: Challenge #2 — Tracking and preventing water pollution

Portunia directly addresses Challenge #2 of the 11th CASSINI Hackathon, which calls for solutions that use Copernicus and Galileo to monitor water pollution, track contamination sources, and enable timely interventions. Coastal and marine environments are specifically highlighted in the challenge as particularly vulnerable. 

The project contributes to protecting and managing water resources by improving the early detection and operational understanding of pollution events in ports and coastal waters. Instead of waiting for fragmented reporting, authorities can use satellite-derived signals and marine context to identify possible incidents earlier, estimate where pollution may travel, and prioritise inspection or containment. That matters because oil and other marine pollution can severely affect coastal habitats, biodiversity, fisheries, public safety, and the economy.

In practical terms, Portunia helps protect water resources by:

• supporting earlier awareness of possible marine pollution,
• improving prioritisation of response actions,
• reducing the chance that pollution spreads unnoticed toward sensitive coastal areas,
• helping ports and coastal authorities protect both ecosystems and water-dependent economic activity. 

🤼 Team

Anastasia Orlova — Product & Strategy Lead

Background in growth marketing and strategy, with exposure to satellite-based 3D Earth reconstruction and spatial technology companies. Currently studying BSc in AI at JKU. Responsible for problem framing, user needs, product concept, application narrative, business case, and pitch strategy.

[This could be you] — Technical Lead / Developer

Responsible for prototype implementation, data integration, logic for event visualisation and risk assessment, and turning the concept into a working MVP.

Matthias Kneidinger — 3D Designer / Visualization Lead

Responsible for the 3D harbor environment, interface clarity, and turning geospatial outputs into an intuitive operational digital twin for end users.

[This could be you] — GIS / Earth Observation Support

If confirmed, this role would support the use of Copernicus datasets, geospatial workflows, and interpretation of coastal and marine monitoring layers.