It is estimated that by the year 2100, the average sea level along the Croatian coast will rise by between 0.32 m and 0.65 m, with extreme estimates reaching up to 1.1 meters! During storm surges—a natural disaster caused by prolonged strong southerly winds (jugo) along the Adriatic and which, in combination with low air pressure, results in a rise in sea level—the average sea level can rise by 0.84 m to 1.15 m, and in worst-case scenarios, from 1.4 m to 2.2 m. This is outlined in Climate Change Adaptation Strategy in the Republic of Croatia for the period to 2040 with the view to 2070.
As our planet continues to warm up due to climate change, stronger winds are generated, leading to increasingly taller and more destructive waves on the seas and oceans.
These sea waves regularly cause significant damage worldwide. They can damage buildings and coastal infrastructure, resulting in considerable economic losses. Given the expected future population growth in coastal areas, especially in low-lying and urbanized zones, strong waves pose a significant danger to human life.
Additionally, large waves and rising sea levels driven by southern winds can damage valuable coastal habitats and accelerate their erosion. An example of this is the extreme weather event on the island of Mljet in 2019, which caused the fragmentation of sand dunes, making them more susceptible to erosion. Such sea level rise events can be expected in the future as a consequence of climate change and extreme weather.
To mitigate the destructive impact of waves on the coast, the Pokrajčić family from Samobor has come up with a solution—a green innovation called the “Wave Breaker“.
A green innovation with a golden shine
The “Wave Breaker” was first introduced to the public in April 2019 in Geneva, where it won a gold medal. The medal was well-deserved, as subsequent exhibitions in San Francisco (where it was awarded the title of the world’s best innovation), Poland, Germany, and Argentina (where it also won gold medals) confirmed. Moreover, the “Wave Breaker” was named the best technological innovation at Expo 2020 Dubai.
– We began our first serious test in March 2020 at Porto Baroš in the port of Rijeka, where it was monitored and analyzed by the Hydrographic Institute of the Republic of Croatia until September. It withstood a wave of 3.5 meters and wind speeds of 110 km/h. We’ve patented it in 159 countries, – said Tomislav Pokrajčić, who developed the wave breaker with his father.
– Unfortunately, everything came to a halt due to COVID, and in 2022, we applied for a grant for newly established companies, but we were unjustly rejected. However, we’re slowly getting back on track. At the beginning of this year, we signed an EU grant agreement for projects funded by the recovery and resilience mechanism, and we’re currently negotiating testing in Trogir or Savudrija, – added Pokrajčić, who has been ranked second among the world’s top 19 innovators by the International Federation of Inventors’ Associations (IFIA)!
In addition, there’s domestic interest in this invention from Baška and Pula, and significant foreign interest, especially from Italy, Spain, Greece, the Philippines, Indonesia, Argentina, Peru, Brazil, the USA, Canada, Australia, Georgia, and the United Kingdom.
How does the “Wave Breaker” work?
The “Wave Breaker” is made from plastic-coated PES/PRC fabric with high tensile strength, a nets, pulleys, concrete weights, solar panels, and generators. The equipment is eco-friendly, and its presence in the open sea has no impact on the marine environment.
– To reduce the destructive power of waves on the coast, we developed the “Wave Breaker”. It’s a system made of pipes ranging from 5 to 25 meters in length, with diameters of 1 to 6 meters, interconnected to the desired length to form a coastal shield that breaks the waves. A high-tensile-strength net is secured along the pipes, allowing ocean currents to flow through while breaking the waves. The net’s height is between one and five meters, depending on sea depth, and it is anchored every 5 meters with a 500 kg concrete weight. The net and weight are connected by stainless steel cables over pulleys, making the system movable and able to absorb strong wave impacts, – explained Pokrajčić.
It’s installed 200 meters from the shore, outside port exits, and it’s illuminated to prevent damage to boats entering marinas.
– It also collects waste from both below and above the water—up to 50 kilograms per hour! We plan to enhance it with generators for electricity production, – noted our interviewee.
– In short, the “Wave Breaker” protects the coast from devastation, collects waste, generates energy, and serves as a lit runway for seaplane landings on the sea, – Pokrajčić said.
A direct positive impact on marine ecosystems
The invention aligns with the European Green Deal, which emphasizes ocean protection and conservation through priorities such as:
- biodiversity and ecosystem protection,
- reducing water pollution,
- improving waste prevention systems,
- ensuring the sustainability of the blue economy and the fishing sector.
– Our innovation directly impacts these priorities positively and is in line with the EU’s Integrated Maritime Policy (IMP). Once installed, it can last for about 20 years with maintenance—at least one annual cleaning to remove marine algae and shellfish. The “Wave Breaker” provides immense benefits to all coastal cities with beaches, marinas, and ports, – Pokrajčić stated.
Interestingly, the Pokrajčić family also has two other innovative products related to marine protection—a mobile berth and a floating protective barrier.
– Our mobile berth is used on seas and lakes where permanent construction is prohibited, serving for passenger boarding and disembarking. Its advantage is that it can be quickly assembled and disassembled. The floating protective barrier is used to collect waste at sea and to prevent further pollution from oil spills and petroleum derivatives, – Tomislav briefly explained.
Green innovations: key to a sustainable future
From extreme weather events and temperature shifts to air, sea, and land pollution, green innovations are increasingly sought after to tackle the world’s climate and ecological problems. Because those kinds of innovations can efficiently help to build greater resilience and sustainability for the planet.
Green innovations are crucial in the new world of sustainability, as they can drive significant progress toward achieving The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Besides addressing climate change, green innovations also stimulate a country’s economic growth!
Thus, we can confidently say that the future of environmental protection lies in green innovations, which we at Sunce are working on as part of projects like BIOPRESSADRIA (promoting the use of eco-friendly anchoring systems whenever possible). Such anchoring systems are more environmentally friendly than concrete blocks, as they do not harm Posidonia meadows, a strictly protected species that are endemic to the Mediterranean. These meadows are oxygen factories, carbon dioxide sinks, and provide shelter for marine life, primarily fish, to spawn and breed. Despite their wide distribution, Posidonia meadows are threatened by various human activities, with the greatest threat being free anchoring. Learn more about how ecological moorings work here.
This summer, we focused on eco-friendly anchorages in our online summer campaign on sustainable maritime practices, titled “And Where Do You Anchor?“.
Do you think that ‘green innovations’ (such as “Wave Breakers” and ecological moorings) are the best solution for reducing humanity’s harmful impact on the planet?
Source of “Wave Breaker” photos: Jeltom, Tomislav Pokrajčić.