Join our exclusive site visit on 15 June and discover the seaweed and aquaculture ecosystem in Ostend.*
*Please note that places are limited. Early registration is strongly recommended, as availability cannot be guaranteed.
Site Visit
Site Visit
Seagriculture EU
15 - 17 June 2027
Ostend, Belgium
Site Visit
Join us for an inspiring visit to the Oosteroever of Ostend, a dynamic coastal zone where innovation meets tradition in the heart of Belgium’s blue economy. After a short ferry ride across the harbor, you will arrive in an area known for its concentration of ocean-related businesses, including the Fish Market, local fish shops, and leading seafood and marine-focused organizations.
Stops on the programme:
Marifish.Inc: Welcome to Marifish.Inc, the innovation hub for the future of fisheries and aquaculture in Ostend. During the tour, you will discover their unique Living Lab with direct access to food-safe seawater, innovative pilot installations and aquaculture projects. Located in the heart of Ostend’s fisheries cluster, the site offers a unique connection to the entire seafood value chain. The visit provides an inspiring insight into how innovation is shaping the future of marine food production and the ecosystem.
Revi Food: Step inside the facilities of Revi Food, an innovative food company combining tradition with forward-looking ingredients. As a partner in the I3-4-Seaweed project, Revi Food is actively exploring the potential of seaweed in food applications. During the visit, you will learn more about their production processes, product development, and commitment to sustainable ingredients. To complete the experience, you will have the opportunity to taste their seaweed croquette.
ILVO: You will tour ILVO Marine and discover how research supports a sustainable blue economy. The visit showcases marine microalgae cultivation in advanced photobioreactors, land-based seaweed production systems, and innovative aquaculture facilities including recirculating aquaculture systems (RAS) and shrimp farming. You will learn about sustainable aquafeeds, circular aquaculture solutions, and the development of algae-based applications for food, feed, biotechnology, and health. The visit also highlights ILVO’s marine biodiversity and environmental monitoring research, featuring both traditional species identification methods and advanced molecular techniques such as environmental DNA (eDNA) for ecosystem assessment.
VLIZ: During the site visit, you will be able to visit their infrastructure (water tanks, labs and marine robotics lab), showcasing their expertise in Marine Robotics and underwater observations. VLIZ will present project like coastbusters, Ultfarms and Aqualicious in which VLIZ is testing and demonstrating new techniques for monitoring aquaculture setups and biomass production, as well as how Marine Drones are developing to support marine research, innovation and businesses at sea.
Detailed agenda:
Participants will be divided into small groups across different time slots. You can select your preferred slot during registration - please note that availability is first come, first served.
Meeting times:
- 12:45
- 13:05
- 13:25
- 13:45
- 14:05
The full visit experience will run throughout the afternoon, with all groups finishing between 18:00 and 20:00.
Please note that this visit includes walking between locations. We recommend wearing comfortable shoes and being prepared to walk for short distances between stops.
We hope for favourable weather conditions in order to offer our participants the full experience. Please note that we might need to make some changes in case of bad weather.
Site visit programme is tentative and subject to change.
More about the organisations
Marifish.Inc
Marifish Living Lab and Marifish.Inc provide guidance and infrastructure in the dynamic ecosystem of fisheries and aquaculture to support the growth of startups.
Marifish.Inc is focusing on business coaching and valorising of Belgium’s exceptional research to create a sustainable and innovative future for the fishing, aquaculture, and marine industries.
The Marifish living lab supports startups, industrial pilots, and small scale business with easy access to seawater in a food safe environment.
Revi Food
Revi Food is a food manufacturer based in Ostend, specializing in the production of ready-to-eat meals and meal components, with a strong focus on seafood products. Revi produces, among other things, gray shrimp croquettes, fish casseroles, soups, and spreads. They primarily supply retail, the hospitality industry, foodservice, and hotel chains, both in Belgium and in countries such as the Netherlands, France, and Luxembourg.
Their mission is to make food accessible and appealing to everyone. They strive to prioritize ease of use, taste, and quality, as well as innovation. Within this philosophy, they also aim to incorporate sustainability and health into their approach, integrating these values into every aspect of their business operations.
ILVO
ILVO Marine combines expertise in marine biotechnology, aquaculture, fisheries, biodiversity monitoring, food quality and environmental sustainability. Through close collaboration with industry, policymakers and research partners, ILVO develops science-based solutions to support resilient and sustainable marine and coastal systems. Our marine research is translated into practical innovations for the future of food, aquaculture and the blue economy.
VLIZ
The Flanders Marine Institute (VLIZ) is a multidisciplinary research institute that addresses societal needs and challenges through research, data stewardship, technological innovation and knowledge valorization.
To this purpose, VLIZ serves a broad range of stakeholders across the quadruple helix – science, policy, industry, and the public – at both national and international levels.
VLIZ’s unique position across the full marine research value chain is instrumental in achieving these goals: from field observation and instrumentation to data analysis, infrastructure development, stakeholder engagement, and the translation of science into societal and industrial impact.
VLIZ is widely recognized for its expertise in ocean data management and research infrastructure, but its mission extends beyond research. VLIZ advances our understanding and knowledge of the ocean (vital for all life on Earth) and ensures that scientific insights support informed decision-making across society, contributing to the sustainable management of marine and coastal ecosystems.
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