Alicante, Spain, June 4th, 2025. Slovenian Researchers visit Spanish Demonstration site to Advance Blue Biotechnology in the Mediterranean.
As part of the EU’s 2B-BLUE project, scientists from Slovenia’s National Institute of Biology (NIB) visited an experimental marine demonstration site in Alicante, Spain, on June 4, 2025. During the visit NIB delegation toured the facilities of the startup company Mediterranean Algae, which is pioneering valorization of algal biomass.
At the Spanish Demo Site in the port of Alicante, created by the University of Murcia, the Naval Technology Center and Mediterranean Algae, a fast-growing green seaweed (Ulva lactuca) is being used to clean polluted water. As seaweed grows in large tanks, they naturally absorb harmful substances like heavy metals and excess nutrients, making the water cleaner and safer for marine life. What makes this project unique is its use of smart technology. Sensors track water quality in real time, while blockchain tools measure how much carbon the seaweed captures, creating potential rewards for reducing pollution. The seaweed itself may even be reused in products like cosmetics or fertilizers, supporting a circular economy.
The visit also sparked plans for future joint research and knowledge-sharing between Slovenia and Spain. Both teams see this partnership as a big step toward healthier seas and more sustainable blue industries across the Mediterranean.
Photographs by Amelia Canovas Muñoz.
