International Shipbreaking Limited LLC (ISL), a subsidiary of EMR Group, will once again help increase the population of the overfished red snapper by transforming an end-of-life vessel into a much-needed artificial reef.
The company is continuing its partnership with Friends of RGV Reef, a community environmental group which is creating a series of marine ecosystems in the Guld of Mexico, 13 miles off South Padre Island, Texas.
Since 2019, International Shipbreaking has supported Friends of RGV Reef by donating time and equipment to assist loading artificial reef materials. This year will see the company supply a decommissioned tugboat, which will be decontaminated at the ISL facility and then sunk to create a home for the growing population of red snapper and other important marine life.
The partnership extends the EMR Group’s commitment to enhancing biodiversity.
RGV Reef – which has been protecting endangered species since 2015 – is the first industrial scale nursery reef in the world, built with 72 million pounds of recycled concrete. The reef aims to boost the population of red snapper by 250,000, as well as providing cover and food for the highly endangered Kemp’s Ridley turtle.
Chris Green, President of International Shipbreaking said:
“Every member of the International Shipbuilding team is pleased to continue our partnership with Friends of RGV Reef, creating artificial reefs and helping a key species such as the red snapper to thrive once more.
“As one of the world’s leading recyclers, the EMR Group is committed to passing on a better, more sustainable world to the next generation. Supporting an important project that safeguards the Gulf of Mexico’s rich biodiversity is an essential part of that goal.”
