ReSEAlience

reSEAlience: Unlocking the Potential of Seaweeds and Halophytes through Biorefinery for Enhanced Resilience in the Aquaculture Agri-Food and Chemical Industries

Project team: Paul Christakopoulos (Project Leader), Leonidas Matsakas, Io Antonopoulou, Alok Patel, Ulrika Rova, Anthony Ike Anukam.

Duration: 2025-2028. Funded by EU Sustainable Blue Economy Partnership.

ReSEAlience coordinated by LTU, aims to advance the sustainable management and utilization of marine bioresources—particularly seaweeds and halophytes—to support a resilient blue bioeconomy. Aligned with the Sustainable Blue Economy Partnership, the project implements a zero-waste biorefinery model for extracting and valorizing biomolecules, contributing to food security, bioenergy, and bio-based product development.

ReSEAlience introduces an innovative, solvent-free method for processing saline biomass, alongside organosolv fractionation, enzymatic hydrolysis, and sustainable bioconversion via Black Soldier Fly Larvae and microalgae. Integrated within IMTA systems and targeting eutrophication hotspots, the project enhances the circular use of marine resources while reducing pressure on wild fish stocks.

By sourcing biomass from multiple sea basins and engaging diverse sectors, ReSEAlience promotes transnational collaboration, supports coastal economies, and delivers scalable, eco-friendly solutions in line with the European Green Deal.

The ReSEAlience project brings together a strong international consortium of academic, research, and industry partners. The partnership includes Luleå University of Technology (Sweden), Ege University (Türkiye), SINTEF Ocean AS (Norway), ELLINIKOS GEORGIKOS ORGANISMOS – DIMITRA / Fisheries Research Institute (Greece), Fundación CTAQUA (Spain), ISOTECH Ltd (Cyprus), INSTM – Institut National des Sciences et Technologies de la Mer (Tunisia), CIIMAR – Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research (Portugal), Aalborg University (Denmark), and two Brazilian institutions: Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina and Universidade Federal do Rio Grande. The project also includes innovative SMEs such as ENORM Biofactory (Denmark), Haloderma ApS (Denmark), Halorefine ApS (Denmark), and Soieries Elite N.V. (Belgium). Additionally, HOGENT (Belgium) contributes as a subcontractor, supporting biobased materials development. This diverse consortium combines expertise in aquaculture, marine biotechnology, biorefinery technologies, and sustainable product development, ensuring a comprehensive approach to valorizing seaweed and halophyte resources.