MSC Foundation and Asociación Vellmarí have launched a new three-year programme dedicated to the restoration of Posidonia oceanica seagrass meadows.
Posidonia oceanica is a marine flowering plant found exclusively in the Mediterranean Sea. Its underwater meadows provide a habitat for marine life, store blue carbon, stabilise seabeds and help protect coastlines from erosion.
Led by Vellmarí, the “Shallow Bays of the Mediterranean” project combines scientific research, environmental education and the active involvement of local communities. The initiative will begin in Ibiza with the aim of developing a scientifically validated model that can later be replicated and adapted in the bays of Palma de Mallorca and along the coastline of Barcelona.
Already underway, the programme will continue until July 2029. The initiative was presented on board EXPLORA III as part of the events surrounding the ship’s naming ceremony, during which Cristina Ozores, co-founder of Vellmarí, was appointed Godmother of the ship. Building on the collaboration already established between MSC Foundation and Vellmarí in Formentera, the project aims to plant and monitor between 170,000 and 180,000 Posidonia oceanica specimens, restore an additional 20,000 square metres of degraded coastal habitat, and engage more than 30,000 people through marine education programmes, citizen science activities and initiatives involving local communities.
The first phase of the project will focus on Talamanca Bay in Ibiza, where Vellmarí will develop and refine its marine ecosystem restoration methodology and environmental education programme. In subsequent phases, and depending on ecological feasibility, site selection and consultation with local stakeholders, the model will gradually be extended to the coastlines of Palma de Mallorca and Barcelona during the second and third years of implementation.
The programme will combine scientifically based restoration activities, long-term environmental monitoring, marine education and direct community involvement. Schools, diving centres, volunteers, educators and researchers will participate in ecosystem recovery activities, citizen science initiatives and field-based learning experiences. Over the three-year period, the initiative will involve approximately 6,000 students from 30 schools and educational centres, as well as 600 volunteers, while providing training for 28 educators and 24 diving centres. By leveraging local knowledge, the programme also aims to strengthen regional expertise and support the long-term conservation of seagrass meadows.
Manu San Félix, founder of Asociación Vellmarí, highlighted the vulnerability of marine ecosystems, noting that while they can be easily damaged, their recovery is an extremely complex process. According to San Félix, protecting the remaining Posidonia oceanica meadows must therefore be an absolute priority.
Cristina Ozores, co-founder and Director of Education at Asociación Vellmarí, emphasised the importance of raising awareness, noting that every journey towards ocean protection begins by slowing down, discovering the beauty of the sea and developing a deeper connection with the marine environment.
Daniela Picco, Executive Director of MSC Foundation, highlighted the importance of Posidonia oceanica meadows, considered among the most valuable marine ecosystems in the Mediterranean. According to Picco, the partnership with Asociación Vellmarí brings together scientific research, environmental education and community engagement, with the aim of increasing awareness and empowering people to become active guardians of the ocean. The appointment of Cristina Ozores as Godmother of EXPLORA III also represents a meaningful symbol of the shared commitment to marine conservation that underpins this partnership.
The initiative represents an evolution of the collaboration launched in 2024 between MSC Foundation and Vellmarí in Formentera, as part of the Foundation’s broader partnership with Mission Blue, the ocean conservation organisation founded by oceanographer Dr Sylvia Earle. During the first two years of activity, Vellmarí has already contributed to the recovery of local marine ecosystems by planting more than 78,000 Posidonia oceanica specimens and restoring 2,700 square metres of degraded seagrass meadow in the waters surrounding Formentera.
These results provide the scientific and operational foundation for expanding the project across the Mediterranean, with the goal of developing a replicable model for the protection and regeneration of coastal habitats.
Giorgia Lombardo