The Spanish Pilot
The Spanish Pilot
Strengthening Maritime Security at the Port of Valencia
From 15 to 18 June 2026, the Spanish Pilot Use Case took place at the Port of Valencia, marking the project's final pilot demonstration. The pilot demonstrated the SMAUG technologies towards advanced maritime surveillance and threat-detection capabilities in real port environments
The activities were coordinated by Fundación Valenciaport (FVP) and the Agencia Estatal de Administración Tributaria (AEAT), with contributions from Universidad Politécnica de Madrid (UPM), Elistair, Lemvos, Indra, Vete, Athanor Engineering and Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna (SSSA).
The Location
As one of the busiest ports in the Mediterranean, the Port of Valencia faces various maritime security threats. Traditional surveillance systems are often challenged by threats operating below the water surface or outside conventional monitoring areas. The development of new methods for concealing illegal cargo, including attaching objects to vessel hulls or using clandestine maritime routes to access port facilities, demands new detection methods and technologies. The Spanish pilot focused on demonstrating how integrated, multi-domain surveillance technologies can enhance the protection of critical port infrastructure and improve the detection of suspicious activities both above and below the waterline.
Pilot Execution
Use Case 1: Detection and Inspection of Vessels in the Xitá Dock
The first demonstration took place in the Xitá Dock, located along Valencia's central shipping channel. This high-traffic environment provided realistic conditions for testing continuous vessel monitoring and rapid response procedures.
Hydrophones monitored acoustic signatures generated by vessels and potential underwater intrusions. The collected information was cross- checked with AIS data and satellite-based detections to identify anomalies.
When suspicious activity was detected, Unmanned Surface Vehicles (USVs) and Unmanned Underwater Vehicles (UUVs) were deployed to inspect vessel hulls using sonar technologies. Autonomous underwater robotic swarms then performed close-range inspections of suspicious objects, providing visual confirmation and supporting threat assessment. At the same time, UAVs delivered aerial situational awareness to operators. All sensor data, alerts and visual information were transmitted in real time to the SMAUG Command and Control platform, enabling coordinated operational responses.
Use Case 2: Detection of Illicit Vessels in the Southern Port Area
The second scenario was conducted near the mouth of the Turia River, an area representative of routes that may be exploited for illicit maritime activities. The exercise simulated the entry of unauthorised vessels and semi-submersibles approaching the port through inland waterways. Hydrophones detected vessels operating without AIS signals, while satellite-based AI detection systems helped identify suspicious movements. Following detection, UAVs were deployed to visually identify the target using AI-assisted analytics. Once the threat was confirmed, interception procedures were initiated to assess the vessel and verify the presence of illicit cargo.
Throughout the operation, all alerts, live video streams, and sensor information were integrated into the SMAUG Control Portal, providing operators with a comprehensive operational picture and supporting real-time decision-making.
Pilot Outcomes
The Spanish Pilot successfully demonstrated the benefits of combining underwater, surface, aerial and satellite surveillance capabilities within a single operational ecosystem. The pilot validated SMAUG's ability to detect suspicious activities, support coordinated inspections, improve maritime situational awareness and strengthen the protection of critical port infrastructure against evolving security threats.
As the final pilot demonstration of the project marked an important milestone in validating SMAUG technologies under realistic operational conditions and highlighted their potential contribution to the future of maritime and port security across Europe.
The Technologies
The pilot integrated a wide range of technologies, including:
Hydrophone-based underwater acoustic detection
Unmanned Underwater Vehicles (UUVs)
Unmanned Surface Vehicles (USVs)
Tethered UAV systems
AIS monitoring and anomaly detection
Satellite-based vessel recognition supported by AI
Autonomous underwater robotic swarms
