People's Choice Award for the AquaForest project at the Blue Innovation Awards 2025

From Dredged Sludge to Mangrove Forest

The idea behind Aquaforest is as simple as it is powerful: dredged material from the port of Guayaquil in Ecuador is being transformed into 50 hectares of new mangrove forest. A world first on this scale.

Why is this so important? Mangroves store up to four times more CO₂ than tropical forests, protect coastlines from erosion, and are biodiversity hotspots. However, half of Ecuador's mangroves have disappeared since 1980. By reusing dredged material for nature restoration, we make the approach economically viable.

Our Role: To Measure is to Know

Within the consortium, led by Jan De Nul, we specialize in marine sustainability studies and nature-inclusive design. We calculate the CO₂ footprint of various scenarios, analyze ecosystem services, and develop monitoring strategies.

"The reuse of dredged material and other eco-engineering techniques accelerates the natural sedimentation process," explains Mathieu Wille, our Project Manager Blue Economy. "But you need to create precisely the right conditions for mangroves to grow successfully: sediment composition, flooding regimes, drainage. Our partners are now following up on everything – from CO₂ storage to bird populations and other fauna. This 'living lab' provides data that we can apply globally."

Results Exceeding Expectations

After six months of monitoring, the figures are impressive:

• Over 30,000 mangrove trees are growing successfully – three times faster than the global average
• 20 bird species observed, including two near-threatened species
• 20 invertebrate species identified

Double Nomination: North C Neutral Also Recognized

We received a double nomination this year. In addition to the public award for Aquaforest, our North C Neutral project was also in the running. This digital planning tool for the North Sea – developed with ORG, Permanent Modernity, and Ortelius – balances ecological, economic, and social interests. The project was nominated in the 'Blue Innovation Swell' category for collaborative projects. We narrowly missed out on the award but are proud of the nomination.

Collaboration Makes the Difference

The success of Aquaforest is the result of intensive collaboration. In addition to Jan De Nul Group as coordinator, we are working with South Pole, Haedes, ESPOL (Ecuador), University of Antwerp, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, and the local NGO Fundación Calisur. The project receives financial support from the Flemish government through the Flanders International Climate Action Programme and from IUCN through the Blue Natural Capital Financing Facility.

The Blue Innovation Awards, organized by De Blauwe Cluster, annually highlight innovative projects in the maritime sector. Thank you to everyone who voted for us!