Port of San Diego report captures a decade of ocean-positive innovation

The Blue Economy Incubator (BEI) at the Port of San Diego is celebrating its 10th anniversary with the release of the seventh Highlights Report. The 2026 report documents a decade of pilot projects, partnerships, and sustainable ocean innovation. It also reviews the incubator’s evolution since its creation in 2016 and provides updates on projects aimed at advancing sustainable solutions in and around San Diego Bay.

Demonstrating the initiative’s progress to date, the report details 14 pilot projects launched through port-wide collaboration. Backed by $3.3 million in BEI funding, these sustainable, ocean-positive initiatives also benefited from an additional $9.1 million in external research, development and grant funding secured by the participating companies. The projects span nature-based solutions, coastal resilience, shellfish and seaweed aquaculture, maritime decarbonization, environmental protection and remediation, and ocean intelligence.

The document provides updates on active and completed projects, illustrating the range of technologies being tested through the incubator. These include Green Marine partner ECOncrete’s shoreline protection system, which has demonstrated both structural durability and ecological benefits, including support for more than 60 marine species.

Beyond individual projects, the report documents the BEI’s expanding network of partnerships and its work to connect innovators, researchers, governments, ports, and local communities. It also describes how strengthening connections with Canada’s blue economy sector has resulted in five Canadian companies joining the incubator portfolio, creating new opportunities for collaboration and knowledge sharing.

Click here to read the full report.

_{Photo: Port of San Diego, LinkedIn}