Sea6 Energy’s SeaCombine™ cataraman simultaneously harvests and re-plants seaweed.
Photo: Sea6 Energy.
Indian seaweed producer Sea6 Energy has established the first large-scale mechanized tropical seaweed farm in Lombok, Indonesia.
The one-square-kilometer facility aims to prove the viability of sustainable large-scale tropical seaweed farming for producing biofertilizers, bioplastics, and renewable chemicals.
"We are honored to inaugurate the world's first mechanized tropical sea farm, a testament to our unwavering commitment to innovation and sustainability in the Ocean Economy," said Nelson Vadassery, co-founder and CEO of Sea6 Energy, in a press release announcing the project's formal launch in Indonesia last week.
"This groundbreaking initiative not only showcases the immense potential of sustainable seaweed cultivation but also underscores our collective responsibility to develop sustainable products for future generations," he added.
Sea6 Energy will automate the harvesting and re-seeding of its 1km2 seaweed farm using specialized workboats, part of its proprietary "SeaCombine" technology.
Automation means that the seaweed can be farmed at scale in more exposed conditions than current smaller-scale manual farming operations, the company said.
On its website, Sea6 Energy says that "the use of mechanized workboats and our SeaCombine™ technology platform helps improve the productivity per person, and enable farming in rougher and deeper waters as compared to current farming practices."
"The Seacombine™ Technology platform helps automate every step of the the seaweed seeding and harvesting process such that the entire process is consistent and reproducible while maximizing the productivity per person. This involves custom workboats, specialized seaweed handling equipment and material handling systems which together greatly simplifies the process of seaweed farming. These systems can be customized to suit the local marine environment," the company states.
Sea6 Energy Chairman Shrikumar Suryanarayan and CEO Nelson Vadassery demonstrate the technology used in the company's large-scale mechanized seaweed farm.
The project launch was attended by officials from both India and Indonesia, including Indonesia's Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment, the Minister of Fisheries, and the Minister of Industry.
India's ambassador to Indonesia and Timor-Leste, H.E. Sandeep Chakravorty, also attended, calling the project "a shining example of India-Indonesia cooperation in blue economy".
"Greater investment in seaweed cultivation can meet the challenges of producing biodegradable industrial raw materials such as biofuels and bio plastics. Sea6's investments in Indonesia are creating local green jobs, developing skills, creating opportunities, and building a sustainable local economy," Chakravorty added.
Sea6 Energy has attracted significant international investment in recent years, including a Series B funding round totalling $18.5 million in 2022, which included investment from Aqua-Spark, BASF Venture Capital, and others.