Namely, this project, worth 16 million euros, has recently been included indicative list of infrastructural projects for the European Regional Development Fund 2014 - 2020 (ERDF) and is waiting for the green light from Brussels.

The establishment of such a technologically sophisticated centre will strengthen the international competitiveness of the RBI and the Academy as centres of scientific excellence and increase the quality of fundamental and applied research in the field of Oceanology.

The MORExpo project will enable the RBI and Academy to act as leading centres in the region in providing scientific and technical support in the field of innovative research based on marine resources, particularly nanotechnology related to marine resources, advanced materials, industrial biotechnology and advanced manufacturing technology with high potential in creating market innovation.

"The project MORExpo will enable a significant increase in increasing the quality and geographical reach of the RBI activities in the field of oceanographic research, particularly the systematic monitoring of the Adriatic."

Furthermore, the project will enable the RBI to create the interdisciplinary base required for transnational and cross-sector partnerships for sustainable development of marine and maritime economy in line with the EU strategy of Blue Growth, thus taking the leading role in the region in the global value chain in development of the activities that create added value in the implementation of key innovative technologies ( eng. Key Enabling Technologies, KET), especially in energy, aquaculture, medicine, pharmacy and advanced materials.