Seawater Cubes

SEAWATER Cubes, founded in August 2018 in Saarbrücken, Germany, has developed a compact, plug-and-play aquaculture system for on-land farming of marine fish. The company's primary product is the SEAWATER Cube, a fully automated container farm designed for onshore cultivation of saltwater fish species. Each unit consists of four assembled shipping containers, forming a 120-square-meter farming facility capable of producing 7.8 tonnes of fish annually. The system utilizes a unique L-shaped tank divided into three sections, allowing fish to progress as they grow.

The SEAWATER Cube employs a proprietary biofilter system with a specialized denitrification technique, enabling up to 99% water recycling. The company's in-house developed automation software manages most operational requirements, making the system accessible even to those without aquaculture experience. This high level of automation contributes to energy efficiency, with each unit consuming approximately 60,000 kWh per year.

SEAWATER Cubes has successfully trialed sea bass and sea bream production, and is conducting trials on red drum, barramundi, and pompano. The company aims to produce high-quality marine fish at competitive prices, with customers in their pilot project willing to pay EUR 30 per kg for locally-sourced sea bass, compared to EUR 20 per kg for Mediterranean cage-farmed sea bass. Each SEAWATER Cube unit was priced at EUR 350,000, significantly less than traditional RAS facilities.

The company's business model focuses on selling complete systems and individual components such as denitrification systems and flow pumps for recirculation systems. SEAWATER Cubes also offers pre-sales support, training, and technical service to its customers, as well as supplying necessary raw materials.

Key customers and partnerships

SEAWATER Cubes targets farmers looking to establish sustainable fish cultivation as a business branch. The company had sold its first two units to customers. One of these customers is a pig producer diversifying their operations, while the other is a newly formed company of engineers aiming to increase urban food production.

The company has established a partnership with a local manufacturer to install the necessary technology within the cubes and set up units at customer sites. This allows SEAWATER Cubes to focus on research and development, exploring potential improvements in energy consumption, water quality, and AI integration in their systems.