Louis Vuitton 37th America's Cup and World Sailing announce local flagship sustainability project

The project originates from a long-standing idea developed by Port Vell, W Barcelona’s owner (Nova Bocana Barcelona) and L’Aquàrium, among others, which seeks to transform the seabed of the Sant Sebastian beach into a laboratory for marine innovation, reinforcing the bet of the Port Vell on its transformation to an innovative ecosystem. To this end, actions will be undertaken to regenerate marine fauna and flora, validated by scientific and technical committees comprising prominent representatives from academia, institutions, and industry. 

The biotopes form a bio-generation reef and are made up of prefabricated concrete anchored to the seabed. The design means they are full of cavities, favouring the proliferation of marine species and important algae and seaweed varieties. The solutions offered by Underwater Gardens International regenerate marine life to increase biodiversity, combat climate change, mitigate the environmental impact of human activity and create carbon sinks, promoting ‘blue growth’ and the circular economy. 

In addition to the units installed at Playa Sant Sebastian, that will act as a lasting legacy of the Louis Vuitton 37th America’s Cup, two very eye-catching and unique, latest-generation SMART ENHANCED REEFS (SER®) will also be installed in the main tank at the Barcelona Aquarium, located in the heart of the Port Vell, shaped as the America’s Cup trophy in 3D alongside the ‘B’ logo for Barcelona plus detailed and interactive explanations of the importance of marine biodiversity and marine regeneration for the general public to understand. 

Further public awareness projects will be installed at the Louis Vuitton 37th America’s Cup Official Fan Zone with a full explanation of the project and its impact. It is intended that the installations on the Playa de Sant Sebastian will become dive attractions for locals as well as important aggregators for scientists study the biodiversity of the area. The selected beach is perfect from a technical perspective as well as being very accessible to all. 

Speaking about the initiative, Grant Dalton, CEO of America’s Cup Events, commented: “The BCN Sotamar proposal was a stand-out from the moment we saw it. It ticks all the boxes of our Local Flagship Sustainability Project in conjunction with World Sailing and the Louis Vuitton 37th America’s Cup and will stand as a lasting legacy for the event alongside being an important marker for marine biodiversity and sustainability long into the future. Our thanks go to BCN Port Innovation for their continual enhancement of what is a perfect venue for the Louis Vuitton 37th America’s Cup and to our colleagues at World Sailing for their support of this important initiative.” 

David Graham, World Sailing CEO, said: “The whole of the sailing community is looking forward to a spectacular Louis Vuitton 37th America’s Cup in Barcelona, the perfect setting for this iconic event.  It is paramount that a pinnacle event such as the Louis Vuitton 37th America’s Cup leads from the front in terms of creating impact and leaving a legacy. The SMART ENHANCED REEFS (SER®) will regenerate marine life will raise awareness of what we can all do to take better care of coastal waters around the world. Our thanks go to BCN Port Innovation Foundation, L’Aquàrium, the city itself and America’s Cup Events for making this happen.” 

Lluís Salvadó, President of Port de Barcelona and BCN Port Innovation: “The BCN Sotamar proposal exemplifies the only way in addressing environmental challenges, the power of collaboration. This project brings together diverse stakeholders, from academia to industry, all united in the goal of regenerating marine ecosystems and raising public awareness. The Louis Vuitton 37th America’s Cup and World Sailing have provided a platform that allows us to showcase innovative solutions and leave a lasting legacy for both the event and the local community. Our thanks go to all our partners for their dedication to marine sustainability and their support in making this vision a reality.”