Installing green artificial reefs: a sustainable challenge

Abstract

Green Artificial Reefs (GARs) are marine structures to exploit sea resources in a sustainable way (produce food resources, improve the tourism, etc.). They should be installed on the seabed, process that is not usually easy. Therefore, their installation process should be clearly defined. The aim of this paper is to propose several methods for installing a group of green artificial reefs designed in the PROARR research project. Two of these methodologies are conventional: a bulkcarrier and a special service workboat. The other technique is innovative: an autonomous vehicle. All of them offer different results in terms of maneuverability, positioning, precision and cost. This study will compare these four methods of installing green artificial reefs to improve the knowledge about this type of sustainable way of exploiting the marine resources.

Exploring land and sea transport options for the installation of green artificial reefs (GARs) in shallow waters: the case study of Galician estuaries

“…This methodology has materialised in the form of a simulation tool called AGARDO (Automatic Green Arti cial Reef Deploy Optimization). It includes both the onshore (manufacturing, road transport and unload at port) and the offshore (loading process at port, maritime transport, positioning, pre-deployment and deployment tasks) stages [42]. Two different types of trucks were considered for the road transport: i) rigid truck with three axles and ii) an articulated option with 5 axles.…”