Sargassum Sinking Innovation

Project Report: Sargassum Sinking for Carbon Removal

Our project aims to harness the potential of sargassum seaweed as a natural carbon removal solution. Sargassum, a fast-growing marine algae, absorbs large amounts of carbon dioxide as it blooms across tropical oceans. Traditionally seen as a nuisance when it washes ashore, we are turning this abundant biomass into an opportunity for climate restoration.

In collaboration with Oceanus International and supported by Climate Cleanup, we have begun pumping sargassum to the deep ocean floor, where it can be safely stored for centuries. This process mimics natural carbon sequestration pathways, effectively removing CO from the active carbon cycle. Alongside the operational work, we are collecting and analyzing scientific data to quantify the amount of carbon permanently removed and to ensure the ecological safety of the process.

This phase marks the transition from concept to execution. With promising early results, we are now seeking subsidies for continued research, scaling, and monitoring, to refine methods and expand the project’s global reach.

Our vision is to demonstrate that ocean-based carbon removal can be both verifiable and sustainable, transforming a marine challenge into a powerful tool for planetary regeneration.

The Climate Cleanup Foundation has launched an innovative sargassumsinking initiative together with Oceanus International aimed at transforming this problematic seaweed into a tool for carbon removal. Following initial field research in Yucatan, Mexico—where teams harvested and mimicked deepsea sinking to enhance carbon sequestration—the project has advanced to planning and prototype stages.

We are now aiming to scale the project to a demonstration level, supported by funding from the EU LIFE programme, which is designed to cofinance innovative climatemitigation and circular economy implementation projects within the EU and its cooperating regions. With guidance from LIFE’s demonstration and governance subprogrammes, we aim to validate operational feasibility, monitor ecological effects, and assess carbon sequestration potential in nearmarket conditions.