Periodic Reporting for period 3 - Living Ports (Reducing the ecological footprint of ports with ECOncrete®’s bio-enhancing concrete technologies)
Periodo di rendicontazione: 2023-06-01 al 2024-05-31
Context: 70% of Coastal & Marine Infrastructures (CMI) are concrete based, yet concrete is known as a poor substrate for marine flora and fauna to thrive. Cement – the key ingredient in concrete – is the source of 8% of the world's carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. Due to a lack of available concrete alternatives, CMI are designed and built with little or no ecological consideration.
ECO (coordinator) has created and validated a win-win solution for thriving ecosystems and high-performing concrete structures. The science-based technology is designed to encourage development of rich and diverse marine life as an integral part of CMI, and is based on three core elements: bio-enhancing concrete compositions, complex surface textures, and science-based designs, which work in synergy to decrease the ecological footprint of concrete CMI while enhancing their strength and durability in a process called Bioprotection. This is achieved through the growth of species like oysters that deposit calcitic skeletons onto the concrete. By these means, concrete is 10 times stronger (tensile strength) compared to concrete with no oyster growth.
Technical Objectives
Industrialisation of technology. Develop large scale mixing capacity for the proprietary ECO-P and BioMud including sourcing, storage, mixing, packaging and labelling and logistics.
Large scale demonstration. Production and deployment of 310m2 Seawall and 100 Coastalock units.
R&D for Monitoring and Observation Platform. CAR provides the project with a floating platform that has wide underwater windows which allows both the monitoring tasks and reinforcing environmental education.
Monitor the impact of ECO’s solutions. The different results between standard concrete and ECO’s solutions in terms of bioenhancing must be supported by monitoring tasks.
Business objectives
Communicate and disseminate the results of the project and potential customer engagement. Two tools were created for dissemination: a LinkedIn profile and a Web Page. The aim is to develop public relations and marketing strategies to establish presence on the market and raise awareness among investors and potential customers EU-wide as well as internationally.
Potential customer engagement. During the first period of the project, the partners made efforts to engage with potential future customers and close relationships between partners for future relationships.
Develop commercialization strategy. The commercialization strategy and its related business plan update was developed the second year of the project.
ROM and EN code. This project aims to gain inclusion of the technology in ROM (“Recomendaciones de Obras Marítimas” - maritime and coastal works standards code). Puerto de Vigo is in discussions with “Puertos del Estado” for that purpose
ECO (coordinator) has created and validated a win-win solution for thriving ecosystems and high-performing concrete structures. The science-based technology is designed to encourage development of rich and diverse marine life as an integral part of CMI, and is based on three core elements: bio-enhancing concrete compositions, complex surface textures, and science-based designs, which work in synergy to decrease the ecological footprint of concrete CMI while enhancing their strength and durability in a process called Bioprotection. This is achieved through the growth of species like oysters that deposit calcitic skeletons onto the concrete. By these means, concrete is 10 times stronger (tensile strength) compared to concrete with no oyster growth.
Technical Objectives
Industrialisation of technology. Develop large scale mixing capacity for the proprietary ECO-P and BioMud including sourcing, storage, mixing, packaging and labelling and logistics.
Large scale demonstration. Production and deployment of 310m2 Seawall and 100 Coastalock units.
R&D for Monitoring and Observation Platform. CAR provides the project with a floating platform that has wide underwater windows which allows both the monitoring tasks and reinforcing environmental education.
Monitor the impact of ECO’s solutions. The different results between standard concrete and ECO’s solutions in terms of bioenhancing must be supported by monitoring tasks.
Business objectives
Communicate and disseminate the results of the project and potential customer engagement. Two tools were created for dissemination: a LinkedIn profile and a Web Page. The aim is to develop public relations and marketing strategies to establish presence on the market and raise awareness among investors and potential customers EU-wide as well as internationally.
Potential customer engagement. During the first period of the project, the partners made efforts to engage with potential future customers and close relationships between partners for future relationships.
Develop commercialization strategy. The commercialization strategy and its related business plan update was developed the second year of the project.
ROM and EN code. This project aims to gain inclusion of the technology in ROM (“Recomendaciones de Obras Marítimas” - maritime and coastal works standards code). Puerto de Vigo is in discussions with “Puertos del Estado” for that purpose
WP3 Demonstration Projects
Topographic surveys developed by Vigo on the Bouzas breakwater
WP4 Monitoring
Monitoring devices procured, calibrated, shipped, and stored in Vigo. Sound, structural and biological monitoring baseline data collection completed
Monitoring protocol completed between VIGO, DTU and ECO in May 2023 after including sound monitoring baseline data
Monitoring process conducted through 4 different campaigns between April 2023 and March 2024. All actions were performed by DTU, ECO, VIGO and a subcontracted acoustic monitoring expert
Report of biological and acoustic results partially developed waiting to be finalized with the result of structural monitoring
WP5 Exploitation and Communication
Participation in events and nominations for awards
VIGO and ECO attended the COP28 summit and presented the project
LP was shortlisted for the ESPO Award 2023. “Nature restoration projects in ports benefiting the local community” category (7/2023)
Conferences within EurOCEAN 2023 side events framework - Visit the Nautilus Submarine Observatory of the Port of Vigo.
Winner - World Maritime Week Award, “Futureport” category (4/2023)
Winner - Atlantic Project Award 2023, “Atlantic Ports” category (10/2023)
VIGO endorse The Charter for the Mission “Restore our Ocean and Waters by 2030” registering LP project (10/2023)
Presentation of LP to the “BLUE PORTS AND DESTINATIONS” AWARD by BlueMissionMed CSA (3/2024).
Participation XVII Jornadas Españolas de Ingeniería de Costas y Puertos (Ibiza, 8-9/5/2024)
DTU Broadcast on YouTube
DTU article “HABITAT.Havne-konstruktioner til gavn for livet i havet” (Port constructions for the benefit of life in the sea)
Project presented by the FEE/Blue Flag organization
Blue Flag National Operators Meeting - Madeira, PT-10/2022
BF International Website - news article - Blue Flag and Living Ports: Improve How Future Working Waterfronts Look And Function — Blue Flag
BF Spanish language - International Conference - Las Palmas, Canary Islands, ES-11/2022
BF International Jury information - online – 4/2023
FEE General Assembly - Blue Flag presentation – BE/NL – 6/2023
ICOMIA International Conference - Vilamoura, PT-10/2023
Blue Flag National Operators 2023 - virtual meeting -10/2023
Sail Training International Conference - Captain Vessels’ committee - Dunkirk, FR-11/2023
“Nautilus” observatory visits and dissemination activities
VIGO implemented specific outreach programs on the marine environment and the project for schools, citizens, and social groups
VIGO collaborates in environmental dissemination events organized by local stakeholders.
Blue week event - Ría de Vigo Nautical Cluster Association
Marine Research Centre anniversary event - University of Vigo
WP6 Management
Bimonthly follow up meetings
Financial monitoring of partners’ incurred costs
1 online SC meeting (Nov 2023); 1 SC meeting, Denmark, April 2024
WP7 Ethics
Protection of Personal Data Protocol followed up by each partner in accordance with the Data Protection Agreement Addendum to the CA
Personal Data Protection Committee discussions held
Topographic surveys developed by Vigo on the Bouzas breakwater
WP4 Monitoring
Monitoring devices procured, calibrated, shipped, and stored in Vigo. Sound, structural and biological monitoring baseline data collection completed
Monitoring protocol completed between VIGO, DTU and ECO in May 2023 after including sound monitoring baseline data
Monitoring process conducted through 4 different campaigns between April 2023 and March 2024. All actions were performed by DTU, ECO, VIGO and a subcontracted acoustic monitoring expert
Report of biological and acoustic results partially developed waiting to be finalized with the result of structural monitoring
WP5 Exploitation and Communication
Participation in events and nominations for awards
VIGO and ECO attended the COP28 summit and presented the project
LP was shortlisted for the ESPO Award 2023. “Nature restoration projects in ports benefiting the local community” category (7/2023)
Conferences within EurOCEAN 2023 side events framework - Visit the Nautilus Submarine Observatory of the Port of Vigo.
Winner - World Maritime Week Award, “Futureport” category (4/2023)
Winner - Atlantic Project Award 2023, “Atlantic Ports” category (10/2023)
VIGO endorse The Charter for the Mission “Restore our Ocean and Waters by 2030” registering LP project (10/2023)
Presentation of LP to the “BLUE PORTS AND DESTINATIONS” AWARD by BlueMissionMed CSA (3/2024).
Participation XVII Jornadas Españolas de Ingeniería de Costas y Puertos (Ibiza, 8-9/5/2024)
DTU Broadcast on YouTube
DTU article “HABITAT.Havne-konstruktioner til gavn for livet i havet” (Port constructions for the benefit of life in the sea)
Project presented by the FEE/Blue Flag organization
Blue Flag National Operators Meeting - Madeira, PT-10/2022
BF International Website - news article - Blue Flag and Living Ports: Improve How Future Working Waterfronts Look And Function — Blue Flag
BF Spanish language - International Conference - Las Palmas, Canary Islands, ES-11/2022
BF International Jury information - online – 4/2023
FEE General Assembly - Blue Flag presentation – BE/NL – 6/2023
ICOMIA International Conference - Vilamoura, PT-10/2023
Blue Flag National Operators 2023 - virtual meeting -10/2023
Sail Training International Conference - Captain Vessels’ committee - Dunkirk, FR-11/2023
“Nautilus” observatory visits and dissemination activities
VIGO implemented specific outreach programs on the marine environment and the project for schools, citizens, and social groups
VIGO collaborates in environmental dissemination events organized by local stakeholders.
Blue week event - Ría de Vigo Nautical Cluster Association
Marine Research Centre anniversary event - University of Vigo
WP6 Management
Bimonthly follow up meetings
Financial monitoring of partners’ incurred costs
1 online SC meeting (Nov 2023); 1 SC meeting, Denmark, April 2024
WP7 Ethics
Protection of Personal Data Protocol followed up by each partner in accordance with the Data Protection Agreement Addendum to the CA
Personal Data Protection Committee discussions held
Socio-economic - LP introduced a cost-effective, scalable, applied innovation to the highly traditional concrete CMI industry. The project aims to achieve inclusion of the technology in ROM and Blue Flag, this will speed up deployment of the technology across Spain and the rest of Europe, to bring benefits to many coastlines in the future. Inclusion also validates the technology strength and durability, which are a key consideration from port authorities (Puertos del Estado).
Business development - LP will expedite market penetration and uptake of ecology-inspired concrete technology, through a public, fully scaled demonstration. This will transform ECO from a promising start-up to a growing SME. It also enables CAR to gain vital experience with eco-friendly, outreach and monitoring construction and be at the forefront of this growing industry. The scaled de-risking project in the Port of Vigo will overcome the CMI market’s traditional scepticism and act as a flagship project showing the technology can be applied at scale in any coastal or marine infrastructure.
Environmental - LP will yield significant semi/quantitative environmental impacts in immediate, and medium terms as well as long-term effects that are beyond the scope of the call.
Social - LP is also expected to encourage stronger environmental education and community involvement, through community and outreach programs and communication and dissemination activities planned during the project
Business development - LP will expedite market penetration and uptake of ecology-inspired concrete technology, through a public, fully scaled demonstration. This will transform ECO from a promising start-up to a growing SME. It also enables CAR to gain vital experience with eco-friendly, outreach and monitoring construction and be at the forefront of this growing industry. The scaled de-risking project in the Port of Vigo will overcome the CMI market’s traditional scepticism and act as a flagship project showing the technology can be applied at scale in any coastal or marine infrastructure.
Environmental - LP will yield significant semi/quantitative environmental impacts in immediate, and medium terms as well as long-term effects that are beyond the scope of the call.
Social - LP is also expected to encourage stronger environmental education and community involvement, through community and outreach programs and communication and dissemination activities planned during the project