ARC Marine tests low-carbon cement in marine projects
Sustainable concrete trial begins in UK marine construction
Marine engineering firm ARC Marine has teamed up with low-carbon cement producer Material Evolution to trial an alternative to traditional concrete in offshore and coastal construction. The partnership will integrate Material Evolution’s MevoCem, an ultra-low carbon cement, into ARC Marine’s products for aquaculture, coastal defence, and offshore energy.
The first shipment of MevoCem has been delivered and will now undergo testing in the harsh marine environment. The aim is to assess its durability and performance compared to standard Portland cement-based concrete. If successful, the companies plan to scale up production and use the material more widely.
“This partnership represents a significant step toward creating sustainable marine infrastructure,” says Tom Birbeck, ARC Marine’s chief executive. “We are excited to work with Material Evolution and see how MevoCem can improve the performance of our products.”
Material Evolution’s chief executive, Dr Elizabeth Gilligan, highlights the environmental potential of the collaboration. “By joining forces with ARC Marine, we are advancing the use of innovative, sustainable materials in critical marine construction applications,” she says.
Cement production is responsible for around 8% of global carbon emissions. Material Evolution’s process, which uses industrial byproducts and patented alkali fusion technology, claims to reduce emissions by up to 85% compared to ordinary Portland cement. The company recently opened a production facility in Wrexham, Wales, with a capacity of 120,000 tonnes per year.
ARC Marine, based in the UK, specialises in ecological engineering for marine environments. Its products, such as artificial reef structures, support biodiversity while also protecting offshore infrastructure. The company has deployed over 2,000 reef cubes across seven countries, creating habitats for more than 190 marine species.
If the trials prove successful, the collaboration could pave the way for a larger rollout of MevoCem across ARC Marine’s projects, offering a more sustainable approach to marine construction.
Subscribe to the weekly newsletter
