Large Vessel Development

Reefmaker has remediated and deployed 38 vessels to date, transforming large retired vessels into large-scale artificial reefs throughout the Gulf of Mexico. As experienced marine contractors and artificial reef builders, we manage the entire process from environmental remediation to controlled sinking, ensuring regulatory compliance, marine safety, and long-term structural stability.

Comprehensive Environmental Preparation

Each vessel undergoes rigorous remediation and cleaning prior to deployment. This includes the removal and proper disposal of hazardous materials such as PCBs, asbestos, and hydrocarbons in accordance with federal and state environmental standards. Every ship is cleaned to the highest accepted benchmarks. All vessel preparation, guiding documents, and permits are followed to ensure regulatory compliance and a positive environmental impact. 

This process ensures that the resulting structure supports marine habitat restoration, demersal fish habitat creation, and long-term ecosystem restoration while creating significant ecotourism opportunities without introducing environmental risk.

Controlled, Non-Explosive Deployment

All deployments are planned without the use of explosives. This method reduces negative impacts to marine life and ensures the vessel sinks evenly in a controlled manner so it lands upright on the seafloor. Proper orientation is critical for diver safety, fisheries enhancement, structural longevity, and predictable habitat creation.

Large Vessel Artificial Reefs 

Large Vessel reefs represent some of the most productive and diverse offshore reefs in the Gulf of Mexico. These large steel structures create immediate vertical relief, internal complexity, and expansive surface area that support reef fish restoration.  

Reefmaker has deployed some of the largest vessels in the Gulf region. One of the most notable projects was The Lulu, a 271-foot vessel that was a community-funded reef initiative. Local stakeholders raised funding collectively, and businesses participated through vessel sponsorship and branding. The project included a public engagement event at the deployment site, demonstrating how artificial reef construction companies can integrate community involvement with marine habitat restoration objectives.

Large Vessel reef projects are suitable for state artificial reef programs, tourism organizations, mitigation reef projects, and private artificial reef programs seeking large-scale, high-impact habitat structures.