Advising on launching an innovative venture to collect and process sargassum

THE BACKGROUND

Since 2011, the Greater Caribbean region has faced repeated crises due to massive influxes of sargassum seaweed, harming marine ecosystems, tourism, fisheries, and coastal communities. French Guiana, located near the Lesser Sargasso Sea, is at the heart of this challenge. The Grand Port Maritime de la Guyane (GPM Guyane) has been actively studying sargassum dynamics since 2018 and is committed to developing sustainable, resilient solutions aligned with national and regional blue economy strategies.

THE PROJECT

VALOSARG is a transformational initiative to collect sargassum offshore using specialized vessels and convert it into valuable products such as biofuels, biostimulants, plant proteins, and cosmetic ingredients. The project integrates a circular economy model and establishes a dedicated processing zone within the GPM Guyane port area along the Mahury River.

FINANCE FOR IMPACT, under the Green Assist framework, is providing expert advisory services to:

• Develop a bankable business and financing model based on discounted cash flow (DCF) analysis.
• Conduct a Do No Significant Harm (DNSH) environmental compliance assessment.
• Prepare investor-ready materials to secure financing from public and private sources.
• Establish a new Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) to implement and scale the project.

THE RESULTS

The advisory support aimed to:

• Deliver a strategic, actionable Business Plan.
• Enable sustainable offshore harvesting and valorization of up to 3,000 tons of sargassum per day by 2030.
• Create a renewable energy source, reduce coastal environmental degradation, and boost food autonomy through bio-based products.
• Position GPM Guyane as a regional leader in nature-based solutions and blue economy innovation.

By turning an ecological crisis into a sustainable economic opportunity, VALOSARG set a model for resilient, nature-positive development in the Caribbean region.