SeaClear: Robots against Marine Litter

The SeaClear project – the abbreviation stands for SEarch, IdentificAtion and Collection of marine Litter with Autonomous Robots – involves an expanded consortium of currently 13 partners in nine countries, including Fraunhofer CML, the Technical University of Munich, and the Hamburg Port Authority. With the help of autonomous robots and artificial intelligence, the goal is to combat marine pollution from waste. According to all involved, the first autonomous robot system for searching, identifying, and collecting waste on the seabed has been successful. Now, funding for the follow-up project SeClear 2.0 has been secured.

What is to be achieved?

An expanded consortium of European scientists is set to further develop the robot system to collect waste from the surface and deeper regions of the Mediterranean Sea. The objective is to follow a holistic approach aimed at involving people in finding solutions to marine pollution from waste, increasing the value of waste materials, and contributing to scientifically based political decision-making.

Robots, drones, and more at sea

A fleet of intelligent robots will be used to locate and dispose of waste – in collaboration with flying drones, diving robots, autonomous boats (USVs), and specially designed automatic grabbers. Artificial intelligence is to assist the robots in autonomously identifying, locating, and collecting waste. According to the involved parties, the robotic system for automated collection can dive deeper and lift heavier parts compared to the predecessor project and also collect waste on the surface. Sensor technology has been improved with high-resolution sonar as well as additional sensors for microplastics and electromagnetic sensors.

Developed will be an intelligent, maneuverable grabber capable of picking up larger waste pieces such as tires, bicycles, or pipes. In addition, a new tender is planned for transporting larger, heavier waste with adjustable partitions and flexibly configurable chambers for different types of waste. Surface waste is to be collected by an autonomous mobile system also suitable for narrow and shallow areas.

Involving the population

The new SeaClear2.0 system will be usable in conjunction with SeaClear1.0, according to scientists. They speak of almost half a billion tons of plastic that European seas take in annually. In addition to technical systems that seek out and collect waste, societal measures are also necessary to reduce the amounts of waste people produce and throw into the sea. The population is therefore to be involved, with plans including, among other things, geographic storytelling, a gamified app for waste reporting, cleanup actions, exhibitions, competitions, and art installations. Furthermore, the project partners foresee recommendations for better solutions for waste sorting and recycling to increase the value of collected waste. At the local level, political proposals are also to be made to close gaps in existing regulations.

Starting soon

The new system is planned to be presented in three large-scale trials and tested in three pilot trials in the Mediterranean. The project also finances five sub-projects to validate aspects of the system and the approach in other Mediterranean regions. According to the consortium, the SeaClear2.0 project will launch on January 1, 2023, with a project duration of four years. The project is financially supported by the European Union's Horizon Europe program. The consortium currently consists of 13 partners in nine countries, each with different expertise in public engagement, policy making, sensor and control in robotics, artificial intelligence, marine and diving technology and procedures, and waste sorting and recycling.

The partner institutions are Delft University of Technology (Netherlands, project coordination), Regional Development Agency Dunea (Croatia), Fraunhofer (Germany), Hamburg Port Authority (Germany), Isotech (Cyprus), M.Danchor (Israel), Subsea Tech (France), Técnicas y Obras Subacuáticas (Tecnosub) (Spain), Technical University of Munich (Germany), University of Dubrovnik (Croatia), Technical University of Cluj-Napoca (Romania), Veolia (France), and Venice Lagoon Plastic Free (Italy).