Yvan Bourgnon has sailed the seven seas for more than 30 years, competing in many regattas as well as sailing just for pleasure. He has celebrated many victories and set numerous records. During his round-the-world navigations in 2013 to 2015, he could not help but notice how quickly the pollution of the seas had increased over the years. This observation motivated him to form SeaCleaners.
A ship with a destination.
With over three years of development time, the club has designed a unique ocean-going catamaran that will “fish” plastic from the seas. The nearly 57-metre-long and 26-metre-wide Manta collects plastic particles a size of one centimetre and larger using three collection nets at the stern of the ship with a combined span of 46 metres. The nets reach to a maximum depth of one metre under the water’s surface and can extract one to three tonnes of plastic waste per hour. That may not sound like a lot, but the planning calls for the ship to be in use 300 days a year. Thus, Manta’s projected annual collection capacity is between 5000 and 10,000 tonnes.
The world’s largest floating recycling facility.
If the catamaran is launched as planned in 2024, it will be the largest floating waste processing plant in the world. The collection nets are emptied on board and the waste enters a sorting system. All plastic waste is fully processed onboard Manta. Metal, glass and various light metals are sorted manually and stored. Plastic waste is treated with special care. It is sorted and then compressed for storage. Organic materials, such as wood or seaweed, is returned to the sea, as long as the existing marine conditions permit.
A sophisticated and sustainable propulsion system.
There are already some systems to collect waste from the sea, and even a few ships dedicated to this task. But Manta’s hybrid drive system is unique worldwide, as it generates its energy from renewable sources. It is equipped with sails about 60 metres high, wind turbines and hydropower generators. Much of the deck is covered with photovoltaic solar panels that generate electricity. These are effective, but in themselves not new. What is truly innovative on board Manta is its waste incineration plant. This is the central element in the ship’s energy self-sufficiency. The collected plastic is turned into electricity through a waste-to-electricity conversion unit and the electricity feeds all the equipment onboard. In the conversion, the plastic evaporates and releases a synthetic gas. In turn, this gas drives turbines and generates more electricity that is either used immediately or stored in batteries. With this innovative hybrid drive, 75 per cent of Manta’s power needs are met autonomously, without fossil fuels.
A laboratory on the high seas.
In addition to removing plastics from the world’s oceans, the goal of SeaCleaners is to better understand pollution in order to combat it more efficiently. For this reason, 10 scientists will work on board in dry and wet laboratories. They will concentrate on the geopositioning of waste masses and the quantification and analysis of the plastic pollution. The research data should be available to everyone on an open data platform and, above all, it should be used to raise awareness of the battle against plastic pollution in the oceans.
On duty around the world.
The ocean-going recycling catamaran Manta will mainly be used in the waters of Africa and Asia. The 10 rivers with the highest levels of plastics pollution include the Niger, the Yangtze and the Mekong, and, according to recent research, they contribute up to 95 per cent of the plastic pollution in the world’s oceans. Over 80 per cent of plastic pollution originates on land and is carried by rivers to the seas and oceans. Manta will patrol the coastal waters and collect the plastic flotsam before it sinks or is rinsed further into the sea and pollutes larger areas. Hurricanes and tsunamis can accelerate the spread of plastic waste. After such events, Manta can be pressed into service to contain the spread of pollution.
Construction can begin.
Manta will only set sail in three years at the earliest. Until then, the various items of equipment and the many components are being extensively tested, and trial expeditions will be made. Manta’s definitive equipment list will be compiled on the basis of these trials. In 2023, the construction of the catamaran should begin at an as yet unknown shipyard. After another year, the first systems will be mounted and installed. After launching, the first sea trials will be held. When all systems get the green light, hopefully in 2024, Manta will begin its important fight against plastic pollution in the world’s oceans.
