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November 14, 2025

🐟SDG 14: Life below water

The North Sea is at the centre of major transitions in energy, nature, food and safety. Under all these developments lies one essential foundation: a healthy ocean. That is why Sustainable Development Goal 14, Life Below Water, plays a central role in the work of Campus@Sea.

SDG 14 focuses on protecting marine ecosystems, reducing pollution, managing ocean resources sustainably and restoring biodiversity. Many of our projects contribute directly to this global goal.

Our contribution to SDG 14

Campus@Sea is a place where entrepreneurs, researchers and policymakers come together to develop new solutions for the challenges at sea. Thanks to our Maritime Testing Ground and Offshore Test Site, innovations can be tested under real North Sea conditions. This makes it possible to learn faster, develop better and ultimately operate more safely and sustainably.

Here, work is being done on technologies and concepts that support the recovery of marine ecosystems, such as nature-inclusive structures, smart monitoring, circular material use and innovative forms of renewable offshore energy. These initiatives bridge the gap between science and real-world application, directly contributing to SDG 14.

Kelp rewilding: a concrete example

Yesterday we shared the start of a special pilot project: the first kelp rewilding actions along the Dutch coast.

This pilot contributes to SDG 14 because kelp:

• creates habitat for fish, crustaceans and other marine species,
• improves water quality and stimulates natural filtration,
• helps reduce wave energy and supports coastal systems,
• captures CO₂ and enhances local biodiversity.

SDG 14 goes beyond nature restoration alone

Although kelp rewilding is a tangible example, our contribution to SDG 14 is much broader. Across Campus@Sea, companies and knowledge institutions work on solutions that:

• reduce the impact of maritime activities,
• strengthen ecosystem resilience,
• protect habitats under pressure,
• and support a future in which economy and ecology are in balance.

This does not happen in isolation: the North Sea is a shared space, and its protection requires shared responsibility. That is why we connect partners, facilitate testing, support pilots and stimulate knowledge exchange across sectors.