Funded by
ACCIÓ (the Agency for Business Competitiveness of the Government of Catalonia, under the Department of Business and Labor)
Introduction
The Government of Catalonia has promoted policies supporting industry and business for decades, recognizing them as the core of the economy and key drivers of wealth and employment.
Technological progress is essential to providing solutions that positively impact both businesses and society as a whole. In fact, technology and innovation are engines of economic recovery and competitiveness, alongside internationalization, which must be strengthened to address the challenges of Catalonia’s productive sector.
In this context, ACCIÓ—an agency of the Government of Catalonia’s Department of Business and Labor—supports this line of funding aimed at subsidizing industrial research and experimental development projects led by Catalan companies and focused on advancing currently available technology.
Project Description
The global decline in marine biodiversity is primarily due to the transformation of marine habitats into hostile environments for marine flora and fauna. This is caused by increased coastal activity, maritime traffic, and pollution from waste discharge into marine waters. The loss of marine biodiversity poses a serious threat to both the environment and society, as it impacts oxygen production, decarbonization, the balance of trophic and food chains, and the resilience of marine organisms to climate change.
This project proposes a solution focused on a sustainable and circular economy that fosters environmentally responsible social and economic development and promotes the conservation of natural resources.
Specifically, the SEASLAG project aims to research and develop a new sustainable material for the creation of marine regeneration structures that support the growth of marine biodiversity. To achieve this, it will explore how to repurpose industrial by-products to maximize bioregeneration potential and encourage a circular economy model.
Currently, marine regeneration solutions are based on the construction of artificial reefs using raw materials such as concrete, steel, or polypropylene derivatives—producing durable structures that support marine life. While these are effective solutions, their construction depletes natural resources. The key innovation of the SEASLAG project lies in incorporating and repurposing by-products from the steel and agri-food industries in the construction of these marine structures, using 3D printing techniques. This not only reduces the need for natural raw materials, but also gives a second life to materials that would otherwise be discarded in landfills, thereby lessening environmental impact.
