Westport is seeking seagrass restoration providers to take part in Innovative Seagrass Restoration Trials in Cockburn Sound.
The trials will allow Westport to identify innovative methods that may drive a cost-efficient, scalable and reliable solution for planting seagrass in Cockburn Sound, alongside traditional handplanting methods where required.
The work for these trials has been split into two streams to allow providers of varying levels of readiness to participate. Stream 1 of the trials is focussed on providers of delivery-ready seagrass restoration methods that can deliver in summer 2026. Stream 2 is aimed at providers whose methods are not yet delivery‑ready but show strong potential to be trialled in summer 2027 with appropriate support.
The trials will see each procured seagrass restoration provider given a select area of seabed to test in and allow Westport to develop metrics around each planting method.
These trials will provide businesses the opportunity to test their methods on a large scale and provide confidence on the scalability of the proposed solutions.
The seagrass planting trials are part of Westport’s wider seagrass program, building on years of independent, peer-reviewed science conducted by the WAMSI Westport Marine Science Program. This included a preliminary trial with a robotic seagrass seed injector designed by Ulysses Ecosystem Engineering, which provided critical insights to inform technology development for seagrass restoration in Cockburn Sound.
The seagrass program is a key part of Westport’s commitment to building long-term ecosystem resilience in Cockburn Sound as well as our commitment to trialling and investing in innovative technology that can have a widespread impact beyond Western Australia
Seagrass habitat loss is not unique to Cockburn Sound, so the results from these trials could benefit broader seagrass restoration efforts and support applications of these methods in other scientific fields.
Expressions of interest can be submitted through Tenders WA. The tender submission period is open until 2.30pm AWST, Friday 29 May.
