Galway-based seaweed company Óir na Farraige has been named as the lead partner in a €1.5m European project to expand seaweed cultivation and develop commercially viable supply chains for bio-based industries. Business Plus reported on the initiative, announced on 13 April 2026.

The project is a collaboration with EIT Food, the food arm of the European Institute of Innovation and Technology, and brings together partners from Ireland and Norway to examine how seaweed cultivation can connect with downstream sectors including agriculture, bio-based materials, and marine-derived products.

As part of the project, Norwegian partner Arctic Seaweed will demonstrate elements of its integrated seaweed cultivation platform in Irish waters for the first time. The system combines advanced cultivation infrastructure with direct seeding, designed to support large-scale industrial seaweed production.

University of Galway partners will evaluate seaweed farming's ecosystem service contributions and life cycle impacts to validate its potential as a regenerative aquaculture solution.

Gareth Murphy, managing director of Óir na Farraige, said: "Seaweed has enormous potential as a sustainable marine crop. A key challenge for the sector is reaching the scale required to supply emerging markets consistently. This project focuses on how we can reduce production costs, improve cultivation efficiency and connect seaweed biomass with real industrial demand."

Murphy added: "If seaweed is to fulfil its potential as a competitive raw material for bio-based industries, two things are essential: reducing production costs and improving operational efficiency."

The project focuses on increasing biomass production per hectare while reducing operational costs to reliably supply industrial markets. Seaweed is increasingly recognised as a versatile marine resource with applications ranging from biostimulants for agriculture to functional ingredients and bio-based materials.

Read the full story on Óir na Farraige's EU seaweed project here.