SEADEEP aims to reduce emissions from food production in marine environments

The SEADEEP project develops and demonstrates digital and energy-efficient solutions for fisheries, aquaculture, and macroalgae cultivation in the North Sea and Baltic Sea regions. By combining sensors, artificial intelligence, data analytics and digital twins, the project explores how seafood production can become more resource-efficient, reduce energy use, and lower greenhouse gas emissions, while improving economic performance.

How can fisheries and aquaculture reduce their energy use and climate impact without compromising productivity and competitiveness? This is the central question driving the SEADEEP project. The project brings together 30 partners from across Europe and Canada and demonstrates solutions in real operational environments through nine demonstration sites in the North Sea and Baltic Sea.

SEADEEP is part of the transition towards a sustainable blue bioeconomy and addresses the need to reduce emissions from marine food production. Fisheries and aquaculture face major challenges related to energy costs, fossil fuel dependence, and increasing environmental regulations. At the same time, there is significant potential to use digital technologies to optimise operations, reduce resource consumption, and improve decision-making. By integrating real-time sensor data with advanced analytics, operations can become more efficient, predictable, and sustainable.

In the North Sea and Baltic Sea regions, solutions are tested across three main areas:

• land-based aquaculture systems (RAS)
• macroalgae cultivation
• small-scale fisheries

While these sectors face different challenges, they share high energy demand and the need for more efficient operations. SEADEEP develops and demonstrates solutions that can reduce energy use by up to 15–30%, for example through optimised water circulation, smarter feeding strategies, energy-efficient algae drying, and AI-based route optimisation for fishing vessels. Demonstrations take place in real operational settings, ensuring that the solutions are robust, scalable, and ready for wider deployment.

The project aims to show how digitalisation and energy efficiency can transform fisheries and aquaculture into more sustainable and competitive sectors. The results will contribute to reduced emissions, lower operational costs, and improved resource efficiency, while strengthening Europe’s position in sustainable seafood production. The demonstration sites act as models that can be replicated in other regions, supporting broader adoption.

SEADEEP combines research, technology, and industrial application within a strong consortium covering the entire value chain. IVL coordinates the project and is responsible for overall management, environmental assessment, and ensuring that the solutions deliver measurable energy and climate benefits. By linking technological innovation with real-world needs and policy relevance, SEADEEP is positioned to play a key role in the transition towards a more sustainable and energy-efficient marine food system.