Mission Ocean Atlantic and Arctic Project

3DSPARE

THE FOCUS

The main focus of the 3DPARE project was to test new and innovative methods in the manufacture and design of 3D printed artificial reefs.

Project in numbers: 4 test sites, 5 partners, 32 3D printed reefs deployed, €1.9 budget

The 3DPARE project, which ran from 2018-2023, was led by the University of Cantabria in Spain and included partners from the UK, France, and Portugal. The objective of the project was to test whether 3D-printed reefs made from eco-friendly materials would be more effective than traditional concrete block reefs in achieving biological colonisation. The project 3D-printed artificial reefs with varying features that traditional concrete reefs do not possess, such as tunnels and holes. The objective was to assess the hypothesis that 3D-printed reefs would attract more species of animals and plants than concrete block reefs, which was proven to be true throughout the project.
32 units were deployed in 4 test sites in the partners’ local area: Poole Bay (UK), Matosinhos Beach (Portugal), Santander Bay (Spain), and the Bay of Saint Malo (France). In Spain, the 3D units can also be seen on display in the San Sebastian Aquarium in Gipuzkoa, Spain.

 

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