At the end of October, the SS Rotterdam will be filled with pioneers, researchers, and entrepreneurs who all have one thing in common: their belief in seaweed. During the North Sea Seaweed Festival 2025 (opens in new window), they will share how this plant from the sea can help create a more sustainable future. Not as a distant dream, but as something that is already coming to life in our region.
Along our coast, something special is growing. Between the waves, in the salty waters of the North Sea, there is a plant full of future: seaweed. Once primarily known as an ingredient for sushi, it is now a true game changer. During the festival, themed From Promise to Business, experts will explain how this green raw material is evolving from research to practice.
Seaweed as Future Food
Seaweed is healthy, rich in proteins and minerals, and grows without agricultural land or fresh water. This makes it a sustainable alternative to traditional crops. Along our coast, North Sea Farmers (opens in new window) cultivates seaweed on a farm at sea, 18 kilometers off the coast of Scheveningen. In kitchens from Rotterdam to Leiden, seaweed is now appearing in bread, soup, and snacks. In the laboratories of Delft and The Hague, research is underway to process it into new, healthy ingredients.
With a strong knowledge base such as the Biotech Campus in Delft (opens in new window) and numerous innovative food companies in our region, South Holland can develop into a center for sustainable protein production. This way, we are gradually building a short food chain, directly from our own sea.
Packaging that Disappears Instead of Pollutes
Everyone knows the problem of plastic waste. What if packaging could simply disappear without harming nature? That is exactly what companies like Notpla (opens in new window) are developing: packaging with a natural seaweed coating, strong enough for food and drink but fully biodegradable. Such innovations align well with the ambitions of South Holland to reduce plastic use and invest in bio-friendly materials.
With our ports, knowledge clusters, and designers, South Holland has everything in place to further grow this new biobased industry. The province encourages collaboration between researchers, designers, and producers so that sustainable packaging becomes the norm.
Stronger Plants Thanks to Seaweed
Seaweed also has a future on land. From seaweed, biostimulants are made, which are natural substances that help plants withstand drought, heat, and diseases.
In Schiedam, The Seaweed Company (opens in new window) is working with farmers on such products, which contribute to healthier soil and stronger crops. This fits well with the innovative greenhouse horticulture in our province. South Holland brings researchers and entrepreneurs together to test and scale new applications close to home.
Why South Holland is the Ideal Place
Our province is located in the delta: close to the sea, with large ports, strong knowledge institutions, and innovative companies. Everything needed to apply seaweed on a large scale is present here.
That is why we provide space for experiments, help companies grow, and stimulate collaboration between coast, campus, and greenhouse.
We do this not only in policy but also in practice. South Holland was the host region of the international conference Seagriculture EU (opens in new window) in 2025, where researchers and entrepreneurs from all over Europe shared knowledge. We are also a partner of the North Sea Seaweed Festival, the annual meeting point for everyone working with seaweed.
Additionally, we are investigating how wet cultivation and green raw materials, such as seaweed, can contribute to our circular economy. We support pilots, from cultivation at sea to processing on land, from packaging to agricultural applications. This way, ideas grow into real products and jobs in our region.
Seaweed Grows: Literally and Figuratively
What is happening today in laboratories and test fields could tomorrow become an ordinary industry. Seaweed helps make our food supply fairer, reduce plastic pollution, and make agriculture more sustainable. And the best part: the raw material simply grows in our own North Sea.
