In January 29, 2026, the NERITES project was presented by its coordinator, Marcel Rieck from Laser Zentrum Hannover e.V. (LZH), at the AMU UNESCO Chair International Conference – New challenges for UW nature and cultural heritage tourism during the Ocean Decade, which was organized by the UNESCO UNITWIN Network for Underwater Archaeology and the UNESCO Chair in maritime and coastal archaeology ( MoMArch – Aix-Marseille University) in collaboration with UNESCO 2001 Convention Secretariat and three leading EU projects on the main theme, EMFAF uBlueTec, Horizon Europe TOURAL and EMFAF ecoRoute
The event took place at Le Cube THE CUBE | Aix-Marseille Université in Aix-en-Provence from the 29th of January to the 1st of February 2026 and brought together more than 250 participants, including academics, researchers, policy makers and professionals from across Europe and internationally.
The presentation focused on the application of Underwater Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (UW-LIBS) for in-situ chemical analysis of submerged materials, without the need for sampling or retrieval. It addressed both the opportunities and technical challenges of applying LIBS in underwater environments, while highlighting its potential contribution to the in-situ monitoring and protection of Underwater Cultural Heritage.
The presentation took place within the Special Session of the uBlueTec project, highlighting the strong synergy between the two initiatives, NERITES & u-BlueTec. Both projects explore how advanced technologies can support the monitoring, documentation and protection of underwater cultural heritage, reinforcing interdisciplinary collaboration and knowledge exchange.
Learn more about the conference programme and the book of abstracts here.
