MSC Foundation and Vellmarí launch “Shallow Bays of the Mediterranean,”
revitalising Posidonia seagrass meadows
“Shallow Bays of the Mediterranean,” a new three-year initiative that combines Posidonia oceanica restoration, marine education, and community participation, was introduced by the MSC Foundation and Asociación Vellmarí in August [2026]. Implementation will start in Ibiza under the direction of Vellmarí in order to create a model that has been scientifically verified and can then be modified for Palma de Mallorca and the Barcelona coast.
The MSC Foundation is the philanthropic arm of the MSC Group which is headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland. Established in 2018, the Foundation supports initiatives in environmental conservation, community support, education, and emergency relief. The Vellmarí Association, founded in 1993, works to help restore the Mediterranean Sea from the islands of Ibiza and Formentera.
seagrass-meadow-around-formentera
About the programme
The program, which will run from August 2026 to July 2029, was introduced aboard EXPLORA III as part of the celebrations accompanying the ship’s naming ceremony, which also happened to be the time that Cristina Ozores, a co-founder of Vellmarí, was named the ship’s godmother. It intends to plant and monitor between 170,000 and 180,000 Posidonia oceanica plants, restore an additional 20,000 square meters of degraded coastal habitat, and engage over 30,000 people through marine education, citizen science, and community activities, building on the MSC Foundation and Vellmarí’s current partnership focused on Formentera.
The program’s restoration and instruction methods will be developed and refined by Vellmarí at Talamanca Bay, Ibiza, throughout the first phase. During the two and three years of implementation, the concept is meant to be modified for the coastlines of Palma de Mallorca and Barcelona, subject to ecological viability, site selection, and interaction with local stakeholders.
vellmari-seagrass-planting-in-practice
Uniqueness
Only the Mediterranean region is home to the seagrass species Posidonia oceanica. Its underwater meadows maintain the bottom, store blue carbon, offer home for marine life, and aid in preventing coastline erosion.
“How easy it is to destroy these ecosystems, but extraordinarily difficult to restore them,” said Manu San Félix, Founder of Asociación Vellmarí. “That is why protecting the Posidonia meadows that remain must be our top priority.”
The program will include ocean literacy, long-term environmental monitoring, science-based restoration, and hands-on community involvement. Participants in restoration, citizen science, and field-learning activities will include schools, dive centres, volunteers, educators, and researchers. Additionally, the program will teach volunteers, educators, and dive experts, assisting in the development of capacity based on local knowledge to support ongoing conservation efforts.
“Every journey to protect the ocean begins with a simple moment: slowing down, discovering its beauty and falling in love with the sea,” said Cristina Ozores, Co-founder and Director of Education at Asociación Vellmarí.
Engaging children
Over a three-year period, the program will engage around 6,000 kids from 30 schools and education centres. It will also include approximately 600 volunteers and provide training to 28 educators and 24 diving centres.
“Beneath the shallow bays of the Mediterranean lie Posidonia oceanica meadows, one of the region’s most important ecosystems,” said Daniela Picco, Executive Director of the MSC Foundation. “Our partnership with Asociación Vellmarí brings together scientific expertise, education and community participation, helping people become active stewards of the sea that connects us all. Cristina Ozores’ appointment as Godmother of EXPLORA III is a fitting symbol of the shared commitment to the sea that underpins this collaboration.”
Expanding on partnership
The effort expands on the collaboration between the MSC Foundation and Vellmarí in Formentera in 2024, as part of the Foundation’s partnership with Mission Blue™, launched by oceanographer Dr. Sylvia Earle. In the first two years, Vellmarí planted almost 78,000 Posidonia oceanica plants, restoring 2,700 square meters of deteriorated seagrass meadow in the waters surrounding Formentera.
Picture Source: MSC Foundation,Manu San Félix Vellmari
SUEZ and University of Macau Partner for research and marine protection
Preserving our Oceans – Marine Conservation Scientists Receive Fellowships
World’s Largest 3-D Printed Reef Installed at Summer Island Maldives