GeoEcoMar
The Romanian Centre for Marine Geology and Geoecocology was created in 1993 around the Laboratory of Sedimentology and Marine Geology within the Institute of Geology and Geophysics in Bucharest. The Centre soon developed the necessary specific criteria and became the National Research and Development Institute for Marine Geology and Geoecology – GeoEcoMar.
The first international contacts of the Romanian Centre for Marine Geology and Geoecocology were with the French Institute for Biology, Geology, Marine Chemistry in Montrouge and with the research team of Jacques-Yves Cousteau. The scientific collaboration became a contract focused on the study of the ecological conditions on the Lower Danube. The study is the first internationally accepted report on the Danube ecosystem and pollution from water and sediments of the Danube.
Subsequently, GeoEcoMar intensified its international scientific activity, participating in several research projects among which we mention:
- International Black Sea Research Project – ComSBlack,
- GEF-UNDP Black Sea Environment Program,
- EROS 2000, EROS – Danube Projects on the Interaction Between the Danube River and the Northwestern’s Part of the Black Sea,
- ASSEMBLAGE Project – The Evaluation of the Sedimentary System in the Black Sea Since the Last Glaciation,
- EURODELTA Project on the Mediterranean Prodeltas.
GeoEcoMar’s technical and scientific research potential and scientific performance have constantly increased in the years that have followed. The institute acquired two research vessels – “Mare Nigrum” (for oceanographic research) and “Istros” (for river and coastal research), as well as the pontoon – laboratory “Halmyris”, moored at Murighiol, in Tulcea County.
Moreover, GeoEcoMar has obtained the status of “institute of national interest” having as main objective the complex research of the Danube – Danube Delta – Black Sea coast – Black Sea macro-geosystem. The good results of the collaborative research projects with domestic and foreign partners between 2000 and 2006 have made possible the obtaining of the “European centre of excellence – Euro-EcoGeoCentre Romania” status. This new status pointed out that GeoEcoMar was not only the initiator of the in-depth study of river-sea systems, but also that it successfully implemented this study.
Since 1996, GeoEcoMar has been authorized by MMDD for the development of the impact studies and the environmental evaluations.
Starting with 2006 the Institute is ISO 9001 certified for the research activity carried out in the field of geology, geoecology and geophysics by Lloyd’s Register Quality Assurance (Romania), in accordance with ISO 9001: 2008 and SR EN ISO 9001: 2008. In recent years GeoEcoMar has experienced continuous scientific and financial growth, becoming a nationally and internationally recognized institution.