The sixth meeting of the Central Financial and Economic Affairs Commission, held in July 2025, emphasized "promoting the high-quality development of the marine economy," pointing out that "it is necessary to strengthen marine ecological environmental protection, continue implementing comprehensive management of key sea areas, actively promote layered and three-dimensional utilization of sea areas, and explore marine carbon sink accounting." Recently, the "Modular System for Ecological Seawalls" developed by ZEHO ECO successfully obtained national invention patent authorization. This technological breakthrough not only reflects the company’s innovation capabilities in the field of marine ecology but also provides important technical support for promoting the synergistic development of marine ecology and the economy.

Invention Patent Authorization Certificate

Currently, issues such as rising sea levels and frequent typhoons are increasing the pressure on coastal protection. Traditional reinforced concrete coastal engineering structures face challenges in adapting to terrestrial and marine habitats. The "Modular System for Ecological Seawalls" applies "prefabricated seawall mangrove restoration module technology," based on the concept of Nature-based Solutions (NbS). It integrates multidisciplinary knowledge from coastal engineering, ecology, and other fields, using natural materials such as wooden piles, live branches, rocks, and plant fibers to construct a composite coastal ecological restoration and protection system combining "live plant characteristics + artificial structures." This achieves synergy between ecological benefits and protective functions in coastal zones.

Practical Application of the "Modular System for Ecological Seawalls" in a Dongguan, Guangzhou Project

Technical Features

The "Ecological Seawall Module" can be assembled on-site or hoisted offshore based on local conditions, significantly improving construction efficiency with port engineering equipment. The sea-facing side of the seawall replaces traditional hard revetment structures with mangrove coasts, effectively enhancing the survival rate and wave resistance of seedlings planted in strong wind and wave areas. As mangrove plants grow, their root systems gradually replace temporary artificial structures, forming a more stable ecological protection system. The temporary artificial structures gradually decompose into nutrients under the action of waves and currents, further expanding the growth range of disaster prevention and mitigation plants such as mangroves, semi-mangroves, and salt marshes. This technology combines excellent climate adaptability, economic rationality, and ecological benefits, ensuring seawall permeability while providing habitat space for intertidal organisms. It achieves organic connectivity between marine and terrestrial ecosystems, truly practicing the ecological concept of "from nature, for nature, and by nature."

Innovation Highlights

The module scientifically constructs a 4:6 beach-to-forest ratio through hoisting and assembly, increasing porosity by 60% compared to traditional seawall structures. It precisely "stitches" the interface between the seawall and the sea, creating a gradient from land to sea that forms multiple intertidal habitats: salt marsh habitats, semi-mangrove habitats, mangrove habitats, tidal flat habitats, and benthic habitats. This significantly enhances the diversity and stability of coastal ecosystems.

Sectional and Plan Views of the Mangrove Module

Creation of Multiple Intertidal Habitats

Application Value

This technology is applicable to various types of seawalls, including vertical and sloped structures. The module dimensions are 3m × 2m × 1m (length × width × height), allowing flexible assembly based on actual site conditions. Whether in narrow seawall areas or wide tidal flats, the dual needs of landscape creation and mangrove growth can be simultaneously met by adjusting the stacking height and coverage area of the modules.

Ecological Seawall Modules Can Be Flexibly Assembled Based on Local Conditions

Feasibility of Implementation

This technology completely eliminates the reliance on underwater operations for ecological seawall transformation. It adopts an "onshore prefabricated module + offshore hoisting" model for on-site assembly, significantly reducing construction difficulty and safety risks. The ecological module structure is designed with high-strength engineering techniques to resist deformation. The mesh surface is made of special alloy materials, combined with reinforced designs based on mechanical models and precise hoisting point matching, ensuring no structural deformation during hoisting.

In July 2023, Typhoons "Talim" and "Doksuri" made landfall along the coast of Guangdong. On-site surveys showed that the plants within the modules grew well and the assembly structures remained stable after the typhoons passed, fully demonstrating the technology’s excellent adaptability and structural resilience under extreme climate conditions.

Comparison Before and After Seawall Implementation

Mangrove Plant Growth Record (0-6 Weeks)

Mangrove Growth After 12 Months of Implementation

In recent years, ZEHO ECO has continued to deepen its efforts in the field of marine ecological restoration. The company co-established the "Key Laboratory of Marine Ecological Protection and Restoration" with the Third Institute of Oceanography of the Ministry of Natural Resources. Relying on this national-level laboratory platform, ZEHO ECO led the compilation of three industry standards: "Technical Guidelines for Island Ecological Restoration," "Guidelines for Marine Ecological Restoration Acceptance," and "Technical Guidelines for Vital Coastline Construction," making them authoritative standards in the field of marine ecological governance. Additionally, the company took the lead in undertaking national key R&D projects during the 14th Five-Year Plan period, such as "Key Technologies for Typical Coastal Erosion Protection and Vital Coastline Construction—Vital Coastline Model Construction and Demonstration Applications." Furthermore, the company, in collaboration with Zhipu AI and the Third Institute of Oceanography of the Ministry of Natural Resources, released "ShorelineGLM, China’s first vertical large model for marine ecological restoration." This model can accurately diagnose the root causes of marine ecological degradation and dynamically predict restoration outcomes, driving marine ecological restoration from "experience-driven" to "data + AI" dual-driven, significantly enhancing project scientificity and efficiency.

Related R&D achievements have been implemented in multiple projects: "Key Technologies for Typical Coastal Erosion Protection and Vital Coastline Construction" has been successfully demonstrated in Xiamen; coral reef restoration technology has been implemented in Dongfang City, Hainan Province; and mangrove ecosystem construction technology has been applied in projects in Leizhou, Guangdong, and Sanya, Hainan. These practices fully demonstrate the company’s mature capabilities in technological R&D and transformation.

The successful authorization of this invention patent is a significant achievement for ZEHO ECO in the field of marine ecological technology R&D. In the future, the company will continue to advance the research, demonstration, and promotion of key marine technologies, actively serving major national needs such as coastal ecological protection, coastal wetland restoration, nature reserve construction, and climate change response. It will contribute to achieving a positive interaction between marine ecological restoration and the high-quality development of the marine economy, providing more technical and engineering support for China’s distinctive path to maritime strength.