- The Living Ports Project includes bio-enhancing seawalls and coastal protection system, as well as a first of its kind underwater observatory, enabling the public to watch the marine ecosystems thrive.
- ECOncrete is leading the project, delivered by an interdisciplinary consortium.
- ECOncrete nature positive marine technology is integrated by local contractors, using locally sourced concrete.
- The biodiversity performance generated by ECOncrete’s patented technology exceeds all other ecological infrastructure solutions currently in use.
Newly released underwater monitoring data, reveals thriving ecosystems on the innovative infrastructure integrating ECOncrete’s unique and environmentally friendly technology, at the Port of Vigo. This achievement is a part of the Living Ports Project.
Just three months after installation, marine life is flourishing along the seawalls made with the bio enhancing ECOncrete technology that significantly reduces the ecological footprint of the port and provides biodiversity uplift.
Various forms of marine species including green and brown algae; barnacles; crabs; limpets; worms; sea cucumbers; snails; starfish and tunicates are now living on the Port of Vigo seawalls made with ECOncrete. These images demonstrate a significant ecological uplift in comparison to standard marine structures.
(Image credit: ECOncrete)
At the moment, 70 percent of marine infrastructure worldwide is concrete-based, which is not habitable for many types of marine organisms and requires expensive maintenance—to the tune of around EUR€2.2 trillion per year. By incorporating ECOncrete’s nature-positive technology into local concrete, a highly effective biodiversity performance can be achieved, which not only promotes ecological sustainability but also reinforces and strengthen the structures.
The Living Ports Project lead by ECOncrete and delivered by an interdisciplinary consortium that includes Cardama Shipyards and Denmark Technical University (DTU), and the Port of Vigo is funded by the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation program. The Project, inaugurated in March 2023 showcases the next generation of port infrastructure, and responsible marine construction methodologies.
ECOncrete CEO and Co-Founder, Dr. Ido Sella, says: “These new monitoring and underwater camera footage are incredible. In just three short months, this Living Ports Project at the Port of Vigo has become exactly that—a living port, teeming with healthy marine life.
“These undersea images are another evidence of ECOncrete’s technology ability to attract and foster marine biodiversity and support vibrant ecosystems in working waterfronts.”
The head of the Sustainability Department of the Port of Vigo and coordinator of the project, Carlos Botana, says “I’m very pleased with the daily evolution of the submarine biodiversity that has been thriving in the infrastructure promoted by ECOncrete, installed in the Port of Vigo.” “The amount of life that has generated is surprising,” he assured, “and it is still early days,” as, “in the coming months, the new marine ecosystems will keep flourishing and promoting the biodiversity in the Port of Vigo.”
