Super Algae Clean Alicante Port Waters and Combat Greenhouse Effect

Parece sacado de un libro de ciencia ficción: algas que ayudan a limpiar el agua y a capturar el CO2 para evitar que llegue a la atmósfera. Pero sin embargo, se trata de tecnología totalmente real y con marca alicantina. Y es que la Autoridad Portuaria de Alicante y Mediterranean Algae Technologies han completado con éxito la prueba piloto de la tecnología Bioremed Algae, un sistema diseñado para regenerar la calidad del agua y reducir la contaminación en entornos portuarios.

The biofilter installed last February in the fishing dock has shown remarkable effectiveness by directly addressing two major challenges of marine water: eutrophication and acidification. A system that, quietly, is restoring oxygen and ecological balance to the heart of the port.

In October alone, the module treated over 4 million litres of water, achieving bioremediation rates of 65% for nitrates and 55% for phosphates, two nutrients responsible for uncontrolled algae proliferation. Technicians report that the device has shown "excellent" stability in port conditions and a sustained reduction of nutrients, accompanied by the constant generation of biomass capable of fixing atmospheric CO₂.

During the 15-day experimental period, the cultivation of the macroalga Ulva confirmed its potential as the green engine of the system. The installation closed the cycle with 12 kilos of biomass, a figure that supports the biofilter's capacity to produce organic matter intensively while cleaning the water.

During the same days, the system recorded high rates of nutrient removal essential to curb eutrophication: 65% average absorption of nitrates and 55% of phosphorus.

The generated biomass also showed significant capacity to accumulate heavy metals, including iron, zinc, nickel, aluminium, copper, chromium, and lead, a key indicator for improving water quality in port areas.

The climate impact is also significant. The system has captured 21.4 kilos of CO₂, resulting from the generated biomass and nitrate absorption. The BIOREMED ALGAE® biofilter also provides the Port of Alicante with an environmental traceability system aligned with European ESRS standards of the CSRD, placing the Alicante dock among the first in Europe to validate a Nature-Based Solution for regenerating water bodies.

The project's conclusions were presented this Wednesday, November 26, at the MedBlueTech Summit held at Casa Mediterráneo. An initiative that fits perfectly with the Water Framework Directive, the Marine Strategy, and the objectives of the European Green Deal.

The president of the Port Authority, Luis Rodríguez, emphasized that "this nature-based solution has significantly improved water quality, contributing to the regeneration of the port's marine ecosystem." He also highlighted that "this is the best example of how collaboration between the port, the City Council, the Provincial Council, and the Generalitat, as well as startups, universities, and companies, can transform the Mediterranean into a real innovation laboratory."

Rodríguez has announced that the Port of Alicante is taking steps to consolidate the province's blue economy cluster and become an Intelligent, Green, Innovative, Interconnected, and Competitive port.