The purpose of this paper is to examine the feasibility of using wave energy converters for coastal protection through laboratory tests. The paper considers the case of a near-shore floating device of the Wave Activated Body type, named DEXA. The influence of the device length and of the wave parameters on device efficiency and on inshore wave transmission are investigated. A preliminary design procedure to optimise both device efficiency and wave transmission is proposed by means of an hypothetical application to the Adriatic coast. The effects induced by the device on coastal morphology are roughly estimated in terms of variation of longshore transport.