The projects "demonstrate Europe’s commitment to fostering sustainable growth while protecting its marine ecosystems," according to the EU Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency.
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Four new EU-funded projects have been launched this month, aiming to support the growth of sustainable algae production, offshore aquaculture and "blue innovation" across Europe’s sea basins, under a €5.7 million package backed by the European Maritime, Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund (EMFAF).
The initiatives - MED-Hubs, ATL.A.HUB, OCEAN GARDENS and SEAGROW - were launched this month following the European Commission’s 2024 call for proposals on smart specialisation and regenerative ocean farming. Together, they aim to foster cooperation among research, industry and coastal communities while accelerating Europe’s shift towards a more sustainable blue economy, according to the EU's Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency (CINEA).
"The projects launched under this call demonstrate Europe’s commitment to fostering sustainable growth while protecting its marine ecosystems. By combining scientific research, technological innovation and regional partnerships, they will help unlock new opportunities for businesses and coastal communities alike - paving the way towards a smarter, regenerative blue future,” CINEA stated in a press release marking the projects' kick-off meeting this month.
The MED-Hubs project will create two interconnected “blue economy” innovation hubs: one in Spain, focused on marine renewable energy, and another in Italy, specialising in sustainable aquaculture and fishing.
Through open calls, pilot projects and a “From Idea to Market” programme, MED-Hubs aims to bridge the gap between research and commercialisation, testing new solutions under a “Trusted Pilots” framework. The 24-month project has an EU contribution of €1.49 million.
ATL.A.HUB targets key bottlenecks in European algae production by developing shared infrastructure and knowledge hubs in Gran Canaria (Spain) and Lisbon (Portugal). Using these as "launchpads", partners will accelerate product development, testing and scale-up of land-based algae aquaculture systems.
With a budget of €1.58 million over 36 months, the project aims to strengthen cooperation between research, industry and local authorities across Europe’s algae sector.
Meanwhile, Spanish-German project OCEAN GARDENS will demonstrate open-ocean seaweed cultivation using modular floating structures off Gran Canaria, producing around 300 tonnes of biomass per year. Environmental monitoring will assess carbon capture potential and biodiversity effects, focusing on seaweed farming as a climate mitigation tool. The 36-month project is supported by nearly €1 million in EU funding.
Finally, SEAGROW, which includes partners from Ireland, Portugal, Malta, Bulgaria and the Netherlands, and will trial large-scale seaweed aquaculture systems in Galway Bay, Ireland, evaluating their role in nutrient absorption and marine ecosystem enhancement. The project will also develop tools and standards - including eco-labelling schemes - to expand regenerative ocean farming to the Mediterranean and Black Sea. The project runs for 36 months with an EU contribution of €1.58 million.
The EU recently indicated it plans to scale up European algae production, which was under focus earlier this month at the second EU Algae Awareness Summit in Berlin.
A recent CINEA-commissioned report, Study to Support a Sustainable EU Algae Industry, suggested a "bright future" for the algae and seaweed sector in the EU, although noted that significant development is needed to fulfil this potential.
The European Commission also recently announced €116 million in funding for 13 new projects designed to improve the health of the EU's oceans and waters, as part of the EU Mission “Restore our Ocean and Waters”, launched in 2021, and considered a key priority under the European Ocean Pact.