Business Case
Qualifying the European market for a LIDAR oil detection solution
SURFEO conducted an opportunity study in France and Europe to structure the business plan and development prospects of a technology SME.
Turning a detection capability into a market proposition
Oil pollution remains a persistent issue in European seas. In 2023, the CleanSeaNet service detected 7,513 potential events; the North Sea and the Mediterranean show the highest incidence [1].
A Nordic SME had a LIDAR sensor solution designed to detect oil pollution on the ocean surface. It wanted to qualify the accessibility of the French and European markets.
SURFEO was commissioned to carry out an opportunity study and produce the documents needed to build the business plan, giving an objective view of the development prospects.
Type of player
Nordic technology SME
Technology
LIDAR pollution detection sensor
Area
France and Europe
Purpose
Opportunity study and business plan
Field qualification in support of strategy
Framing
Definition of the France–Europe scope and the market questions.
Analysis
Study of the market environment and routes to market.
Field
More than 30 interviews with players in the ecosystem.
Decision
Formalisation of the prospects and the business plan components.
A European assignment backed by field evidence
Monitoring is gaining in resolution
Indicative comparison: 2022 EMSA data [2] and 2023 EEA data [1]. The EEA attributes the 2023 increase to improved high-resolution imagery.
In 2022, CleanSeaNet monitored 1,231 million km² in near real time [2].
Alerts can be sent less than 20 minutes after the satellite passes over [2].
The North Sea and the Mediterranean account for a higher number of potential detections [1].
Concrete elements to organise development
Qualify your European market
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[1] European Environment Agency, Oil spills in Europe's seas, published on 3 March 2025, modified on 8 May 2025. 2023 data: 7,513 potential detections; an increase of more than 58%; higher incidence in the North Sea and the Mediterranean. https://www.eea.europa.eu/en/european-zero-pollution-dashboards/indicators/oil-spills-in-europes-seas
[2] European Maritime Safety Agency, CleanSeaNet service: monitor oil pollution, support to emergencies and polluter identification, 2023. 2022 data: 1,231 million km² monitored, 6,700 images delivered, 4,934 potential detections and alerts in under 20 minutes. https://wwwcdn.imo.org/localresources/en/OurWork/PartnershipsProjects/Documents/Innovation%20Forum%202023/Session%201-1_Ms%20Teresa%20Cunha_EMSA.pdf
Documentary limitation: the project sheet does not detail the profiles interviewed, the segments selected or the final recommendations. These elements have not been filled in by assumption.