IHCantabria optimizes the experimental capacity of the Great Tank of Maritime Engineering of Cantabria – ICTS MARHIS

The Fundación Instituto Hidráulica Ambiental de Cantabria (FIHAC) has successfully concluded the year 2025 of its project funded by the Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities to cover the costs associated with its basic and applied research activities related to environmental management and renewable energies. FIHAC has used the grant of 1 million euros to cover the running costs in the daily management of the “Gran Tanque de Ingeniería Marítima de Cantabria” (GTIM/CCOB), one of the main experimental infrastructures integrated in the ICTS MARHIS.

In accordance with the objectives of the aid granted, the actions that FIHAC has carried out in the GTIM-GT/CCOB node of the ICTS MARHIS throughout the year 2025 have focused on the development and execution of three main actions:

PT1. Infrastructure Maintenance and Training Program

PT2. Access Support Program

WP3. Dissemination and Divulgation Program

Throughout the year 2025 FIHAC has satisfactorily executed the planned operations, achieving the objectives set out in each of the programs. The activities carried out have allowed maintaining the Coasts, Ports and Offshore Laboratory of IHCantabria in optimal operating conditions, guaranteeing the availability of its facilities, systems and equipment for the development of the experimental campaigns and the service to the users of the ICTS MARHIS.

The most outstanding result in the area of training and capacity building has been the completion of the process, by IHCantabria, of the triple certification ISO 9001, ISO 14001 and ISO 45001, culminating in December 2025. To this end, specific training has been provided on the requirements of the three standards, the adaptation and documentation of the laboratory’s operating protocols, and the active preparation of the equipment and technical and maintenance personnel. In addition, specific training in height safety has been completed for technical personnel working in elevated areas of the facilities.

Throughout the year 2025, FIHAC has continued the maintenance and updating program of the CCOB and the laboratory instrumentation, obtaining significant results both in the preservation of the existing capabilities and in the development of new proprietary measurement tools.

In addition, the actions foreseen in the Access Support Program have also been carried out according to plan, including the tests associated with the following projects:

• SHEVEX: Hybrid solutions for coastal protection against extreme weather events.
• NATURSHIFT: Paradigm shift in the generation of tools for the implementation of nature-based solutions for coastal adaptation.
• CREMA: Advanced methodology for the foundation of critical structures in offshore wind farms.
• SALIENTS: Analysis of shoreline response with submerged free-standing structures.

During 2025 IHCantabria has carried out multiple actions to disseminate and publicize the activities developed in the CCOB through its network, the network of the University of Cantabria and various media. In the field of digital communication, an active presence has been maintained on the website and institutional social networks of the IHCantabria, disseminating content related to ongoing experimental campaigns, technological advances of the infrastructure and relevant milestones of the year. Likewise, the ICTS MARHIS website has been updated with information on the capabilities of the node and the available access offer. It should be noted that during the year 2025 the CCOB has received more than 1400 people from research groups, university students and representatives of the industrial sector, contributing to the dissemination of the capabilities of the infrastructure and the promotion of new collaborations. These actions have reinforced the positioning of the CCOB as a national and international reference in physical experimentation in coastal engineering, ports and offshore energy.

The Fundación Instituto Hidráulica Ambiental de Cantabria continues to develop these activities this year, following the guidelines of the granted aid and maintaining its commitment to innovation and the development of sustainable solutions for the coastal and offshore sector.

More information through the GTIM/CCOB, through the following link: https://ccob.ihcantabria.com/