The Ocean Tribology Centre (OTC) COST Action

The Ocean Tribology Centre (OTC) COST Action is strategically oriented towards establishing a robust and interdisciplinary European research and innovation network that addresses the tribological challenges that marine systems have to deal with when they work in severe ocean conditions. The wide network of countries with a strong offshore affiliation for promoting collaboration and knowledge-sharing towards the development of sustainable, reliable and energy efficient ocean systems. The initiative leverages the fundamental and applied science of friction, wear, and lubrication — core aspects of tribology — within the context of ocean-exposed, interacting surfaces in relative motion. The network will combine expertise and infrastructure to generate insights that are applicable to different ocean systems or offshore installations, including offshore energy generators (wave, tidal, offshore wind, floating solar), subsea/submersible equipment and machinery on ships. It is driven by the ambition to realize sustainable and energy-efficient systems that can withstand the harsh ocean conditions with minimal ecological impact on the aquatic environment. The Action helps Europe reach its goal of being a leader in sustainable offshore energy and maritime engineering by pushing forward basic tribological knowledge that is specific to ocean environments.