BIOTECH
Floating biotech farms turn oceans into medicine factories
Kelp lines and floating labs produce drugs, proteins, and biomateria
Floating farm. Image by Forward Thinking Architecture
Marine biotechnology is scaling from land-based labs to offshore platforms. By farming algae, kelp, and other organisms at sea, researchers can generate pharmaceuticals, proteins, and sustainable materials while cutting carbon.
Here are real projects advancing the field:
North Sea Farm 1 delivers first harvest
In July 2025, North Sea Farmers completed the first harvest at North Sea Farm 1, the world’s first commercial seaweed farm co-located in an offshore wind park. Backed by Amazon’s Right Now Climate Fund, the project shows how floating farms can deliver biomass for food and biotech.
Hollandse Kust Zuid project fully operational
In November 2024, the Hollandse Kust Zuid offshore wind farm integrated a five-hectare seaweed platform between turbines. It is the world’s first commercial-scale floating seaweed farm inside a wind park, linking renewable power with bio-based production.Norway pilots floating kelp biofactories
SINTEF and DNV launched a pilot at Frøya, Mid-Norway, in January 2024. Covering 20 hectares, it tests kelp lines as both CO₂ removers and raw material for nutraceuticals. Industrial partners include Equinor, Aker BP, and Ocean Rainforest.Singapore expands aquaculture and seaweed R&D
In May 2025, Singapore announced expansion of aquaculture operations in the East Johor Strait from 2026. Officials highlighted links between seaweed farms and biotech labs on Jurong Island, aiming to develop pharmaceuticals and bioplastics from marine crops.EU boosts funding for regenerative ocean farming
The EU’s Horizon Europe Mission “Restore our Ocean & Waters” added €120 million in 2025 for marine biotech and algae farming pilots. New calls emphasize regenerative floating farming and digital platforms for scaling production.
That’s not all: floating platforms are also hosting research labs. OceanX missions in 2025 deployed wet labs and submersibles to sample genetic material at sea, feeding biotech pipelines with new enzymes and compounds.
Analysts forecast marine biotech could exceed $200 billion by 2035, with floating farms and labs central to scaling production. By moving closer to marine ecosystems, biotech firms are turning the ocean itself into a production floor.
—TFI
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