Ports & Marinas
Bringing life back to the
seawall.
Our vertical reef system is installed directly onto the underwater walls of ports and marinas, transforming passive concrete surfaces into active, measurable ecosystems.
The System
Active ecosystems, vertical by design.
Living Surface
Vertical reef system
Bio-receptive panels mount flush onto existing seawalls, pilings and quay structures in ports and marinas, converting concrete into colonisable habitat without disrupting marine operations.
Habitat Geometry
Microhabitat complexity
Crevices, overhangs and small caves are cast directly into the port´s infrastructure with our reef modular system, recreating the structural diversity that fish, molluscs and crustaceans need to settle.
Monitoring
Live biodiversity data
Periodic surveys feed a site-specific dashboard, so port operators can prove ecological uplift to regulators and stakeholders.
Deployment
Retrofit-ready system
Pre-fabricated, modular systems and bolt-on. Installation happens from the surface, no dewatering, no drydock, no disruption to berths or vessel traffic.
FROM PASSIVE WALLS TO ACTIVE ECOSYSTEMS
The wall is already there. We just make them livable.
Conventional seawalls are biological deserts; smooth, vertical and not apealing to settlement. Our modular artificial reef system add the texture, refuge and chemistry that native species need that live within the port waters can settle on, turning kilometres of existing infrastructure into productive habitat.
- · Zero footprint on water-side operations
- · Compatible with concrete, steel sheet pile & timber
- · Designed for underwater walls, tidal and intertidal zones
Retrofit
Installed from the surface. Working from day one.
Each panel is pre-fabricated to match the wall geometry and lowered into place from the quayside. Professional diving teams then secure the system underwater with minimal disruption to port operations, allowing hundreds of square metres to be installed each week.
- · Simple underwater anchoring system
- · Operates during normal port activity
- · Reversible & recyclable end-of-life
Process
From base survey to living walls.
01
Site assessment
Bathymetry, water quality and existing biodiversity baseline survey of the marina or port basin.
02
Panel design
Habitat geometry and panel layout are tuned to local species, tidal range and seawall geometry.
03
Retrofit install
Modules are installed by experienced diving teams, creating a stable, long-lasting habitat.
04
Monitor & report
Continuous telemetry plus periodic survey transects feed a transparent biodiversity dashboard.
At a glance
15×
Species uplift
Up to 100%
Wall coverage
< 30 min
Install per panel
0–8 m
Operational depth
Ready to regenerate your coastline?
Whether you're a port authority, a marine protected area, or a coastal developer, we'd love to hear about your project.
Start a ConversationOr write to us at hello@themarinelab.com