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Innovative artificial reef project to pilot in Rotterdam

2022-07-15 Tanya Blake
Boskalis to install innovative 'environmental breakwaters' created by start-up Reefy

14072022Reefy // render_of_reefy_artificial_reef_breakwater_modular_system.png (150 K)

Render of Reefy artificial reef breakwater modular system. Photo Credit: Reefy

Dutch start-up company Reefy has signed an agreement with Boskalis, the Municipality of Rotterdam and the Dutch Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management to test their unique modular, artificial reef system.

The reef system will be installed in October in Rotterdam's River Maas to enhance biodiversity and water safety. A key goal will be to protect the riverbank against large ship waves as vessels enter the port of Rotterdam as well as help support and reinvigorate marine wildlife in the area.

Reefy co-founder and CEO Jaime Ascencio, told CEDA that this large scale pilot project will be a “huge milestone” for the young start-up, which launched in 2019. The project ties into a wider green initiative, dubbed the “Green Gate”, underway since late 2013 by the Municipality of Rotterdam, Rijkswaterstaat, the Port of Rotterdam and the World Wildlife fund to create sustainable, nature friendly riverbanks.

To keep natural banks in place and to protect them against the waves of ships and current, breakwaters are needed to create a foreshore. The Reefy modular reef system has been chosen for its unique ability to create both a breakwater and an artificial reef.

Launched by civil and coastal engineer Ascencio and marine biologist Leon Haines, the duo sought to create a solution that overcame issues with other artificial reefs being deployed around the world. Namely, existing solutions could not withstand large waves, so when storms hit the units moved, destroying or breaking into each other, moving and even hitting and damaging natural reefs or the shoreline.

“We came up with the idea of working together with marine infrastructure to upscale ecosystem restoration by working with products that people are already paying for like breakwaters,” explained Ascencio.

Building blocks for life

The Reefy system is created by interlocking blocks, around three metres long, which are assembled underwater to create a stable structure that can break waves. The blocks have holes, much like Swiss cheese, that allow the current to flow through the structure without moving it, and creates a haven for sea life to flourish. Ascencio describes it as like “underwater cathedrals or birdhouses” that can be configured to create a habitat for key species that live in the local area.

The blocks are made of sustainable concrete and have a special texture on the surface that helps stimulate biological growth of wildlife including oysters and mussels, promoting biodiversity. The blocks can grow with sea level rise and require minimal maintenance, says Ascencio.

The blocks have been hydrodynamically designed and tested in the famous wave testing facilities of Deltares, in the Netherlands. The Rotterdam project will be Reefy's first real-world application.

Real world trial

Boskalis will work with Reefy to test the installation of the modular system onshore before installing the system underwater in October. Sander Steenbrink, General Manager, Research and Development at Boskalis told CEDA that the Reefy system was chosen for the pilot project due to its double function as an “environmental breakwater” that can both withstand waves and provide a habitat for marine life. Boskalis also recognised the value of the system, he said, as in 2021, the Municipality of Rotterdam and Boskalis gave Reefy so-called “golden tickets” to participate in the maritime accelerator programme PortXL. In this programme, start-ups and scale-ups are connected to potential customers and network to test and market innovations.

Steenbrink explained that Boskalis will conduct the underwater installation of around 20 of the modular blocks using a crane operated from a pontoon on the water, following tests ashore.

To create an effective barrier, it will need to eventually be extended to 4km, if the pilot proves successful. Ascencio said his team will monitor the pilot installation for two years, checking the stability and seeing which kind of block materials and textures helps nature to thrive the most. Samples of water species will be taken before and during the two years to measure its impact on improving biodiversity.

Artificial reef growth

This will not be Reefy's only project, it is also setting up projects in Indonesia and Mexico for coral reef restoration and coastal protection. Similarly, as part of its Artificial Reefs Programme, Boskalis has been pushing forward with artificial reef pilot projects around the world, including various types of artificial reefs installed in Monaco, Kenya and Panama.

This falls in line with wider strategic objectives to contribute to coastal protection projects, providing a safe place for people living in coastal areas and promoting biodiversity, said Steenbrink.

However, he stressed none are quite like the Rotterdam pilot. “This is a lot bigger and the system will have a much more stable weight, which is why they are ideal to create a breakwater. It is also why we will need a crane for the installation, which will allow us to position the blocks accurately. We will learn a great deal from the pilot process.”

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