From dunes to digital twins: TU Dresden and ABCD-Centre with research, transfer and cooperation in Chennai

The TUD Dresden University of Technology (TUD) and the ABCD-Centre - Global Center for Water and Climate Adaptation (ABCD-Centre) presented their expertise and research results in the field of ocean engineering at the 7th International Conference on Ocean Engineering(ICOE 2025) in Madras, India.

The conference, which took place from 14 to 18 September 2025, was organized by the Department of Ocean Engineering at the Indian Institute of Technology Madras Chennai (IIT Madras). The event focused on the "Blue Economy" and highlighted the sustainable use of marine resources and technical innovations.

TUD was represented by Prof. Dr.-Ing. Jürgen Stamm and Dr. André Lindner. On September 16, 2025, Prof. Stamm gave a keynote speech entitled "Dunes for Coastal Protection - A Management Strategy for Dynamic Nature-Based Solutions under the Influence of Climate Change." The speech opened a multi-faceted series of presentations ranging from the blue economy fisheries sector in Chennai to offshore jacket construction, coral reef assessment and microplastic pollution.

In addition, the ABCD-Centre, in which TUD is one of five project partners, presented its joint work and achievements at an exhibition stand.

The conference attracted the international marine technology community and provided a platform for scientists, industry experts, policy makers and administrators to share knowledge, present research findings and collaborate on key marine technology challenges.

The participation of TUD and the ABCD-Centre at ICOE 2025 underscores the importance of collaboration between scientists, industry and policy makers in solving the challenges of ocean technology and the sustainable use of marine resources. It was a timely reminder to strengthen efforts during the ongoing United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development (2021-2030).

Even before the ICOE 2025 conference opened its doors to participants, the DAAD/ABCD-Centre Transfer Workshop Coastal Cities Resilience - Nexus Approach was held at IIT Madras Chennai from September 12-13, 2025. For two days, the event brought together experts and students from India, Thailand and Germany to discuss sustainable and resilient strategies to address the challenges in coastal cities. Prof. Dr.-Ing. Jürgen Stamm's keynote speech "Digital Twin for Flood Risk Management" set an interesting tone for the ensuing discussion. The group debated the integration of water, energy, health, food and ecosystems to promote resilient solutions and emphasized the importance of inclusive governance and community engagement in resilience planning. The workshop highlighted the importance of young researchers and students in developing forward-looking solutions while strengthening capacity development, joint research projects and sustainable institutional cooperation.

TUD's Indo-German cooperation work continued after the conference. An important meeting took place on September 17, 2025 with Consul General Michael Hasper at the German Consulate in Chennai. Forward-looking discussions were also held with Prof. Raghunathan Rengasamy and others with regard to the joint further development of the transCampus strategy with the Indian Institute of Technology Madras Chennai.