Safe seas

Learn how the Marine Institute is protecting those working at sea and safeguarding coastal communities

Huge wave hitting the seawall at Porthleven, Cornwall

Our world-leading expertise and facilities in cyber security drive innovative solutions to protect infrastructure at sea.

Our forecasting and analysing of extreme natural events, alongside ground-breaking numerical modelling and novel engineering solutions, underpin impact mitigation of flooding and other coastal hazards.

Research centres and groups

Through our whole-system transdisciplinary approach to solutions-oriented research, we are accelerating sustainable developments to safeguard our seas

Maritime Cyber Threats

UAV Flight over Slapton Sands for Photogrammetry

Coastal Processes

Active Tectonics and Geohazards

More centres and groups aiming for safer seas

Coastal Marine Applied Research

COAST Engineering

Researchers in the Cognition and Behaviour Lab

Cognition and Behaviour Laboratory

Environmental Governance

Law and Criminal Justice

Marine Eco-engineering

Deployment of towed undulating vehicle in Southern Ocean

Marine Physics

Marine Social Science

Cargo ships entering one of the busiest ports in the world, Singapore.

Maritime Transport

Marine Biogeochemistry

Materials and Structures

Newhaven, Sussex, Huge Wave Crashes Against the Sea Wall at Newhaven, Sussex, UK During Stormy Seas Lighthouse Partially Visible Behind.

Ocean Forecasting

Research projects and initiatives

Cyber-SHIP Lab

A £3.2 million hardware-based maritime cyber security research and development platform

Natural adaptation of atoll islands to sea-level rise offering opportunities for ongoing human occupation (ARISE)

A £2.8 million project aiming to increase our understanding of overwash processes to develop practical management tools

Cyber-Resilience of Offshore Wind Networks (CROWN)

Facilitating the development of a new maritime cyber cluster

More projects aiming for safer seas

A selection of further projects:

Antarctic Canyon Experiment (ACE)

Gravel barrier resilience in a changing climate (#gravelbeach)

Making Space for Sand

Maritime Cyber Risk Assessment framework (MaCRA)

Secure AI within Marine Autonomy Systems (SAIMAS)

Secure X Trustworthy AI Navigation (SeXTANt)

SPLASH project

Storm impact forecasting

Stronger Shores: Marine habitats protecting coastal communities

Wave structure interaction (WSI)

Making an impact through leading research and expertise

Our longstanding, reputable portfolio of research and innovation, ensures we are well-placed to address the UN Sustainable Development Goals and inform national and international policy.

A UK and global focus for maritime cyber security training, policy development and commercial testing in the UK and globally.
At the forefront of efforts to help communities address the potential impacts of storms, developing new innovations and technological solutions that will change the way they are both predicted and managed.
Informed UK Parliamentary Committee work, including a recent inquiry into ransomware.
The only University credited in the development of the first maritime cyber scenario that featured in the Bank of England’s General Insurance Stress Test .

Study opportunities

Our marine- and ocean-related degrees are supporting the next generation of thinkers and change-makers to make our seas more safe.

Relevant undergraduate courses

3D propeller of a yacht with DOF effect. Image courtesy of Getty Images.

Relevant postgraduate taught programmes

More ways to make a difference with a masters...

Study sustainable infrastructure, industrialisation and innovation
Sustainable Development Goal 9

Relevant postgraduate research degrees and opportunities

Further research study opportunities:

Postgraduate research degrees

Postgraduate research studentships

Doctoral Training Partnerships

We supervise postgraduate research in the following areas: