Port of San Diego expands ocean innovation with MarineLabs

Real-time environmental data will soon play a bigger role in coastal planning at the Port of San Diego thanks to a new collaboration with MarineLabs, a Green Marine partner. MarineLabs will receive $300,000 over two years to deploy sensor technology that tracks wind, wave and wake conditions above the water’s surface.

MarineLabs’ platform offers hyper-local coastal intelligence that will support the port’s climate resilience strategies and complement the work of HyperKelp, another Blue Economy  Incubator (BEI) participant whose smart buoys collect underwater noise and water chemistry data. Together, these technologies will provide a comprehensive view of the bay’s surface and subsurface conditions.

The port’s BEI has now launched 11 pilot projects since its inception in 2016. In addition to MarineLabs and HyperKelp, active projects include:

• FREDsense, developing a portable sensor device for real-time stormwater metals testing.
• San Diego Bay Aquaculture, testing a floating shellfish nursery to address seed shortages.
• Sunken Seaweed, cultivating native seaweed species to explore the benefits of aquaculture for carbon sequestration, water quality, and ecosystem health.

With $2.25 million invested to date, the BEI remains a catalyst for sustainable innovation. Projects receive funding, logistical support, and access to port-managed spaces, while the port gains royalties and valuable tools that strengthen its environmental leadership.