Every minute, roughly a truckload of plastic waste enters our oceans. When large pieces of plastic deteriorate, they eventually turn into microplastics, which can be eaten by small marine life and work its way back up the food chain or sink to the bottom of the ocean basins. Either way, its’s a big problem.
Plastic accounts for 85% of all marine litter, according to the United Nations, which has described marine pollution as the fastest-growing environmental problem in the world. By 2040, the amount of plastic waste is projected to triple, dumping 23-37 million metric tons of waste into the oceans each year.
Clean Sea Solutions was founded on the idea of developing commercially and environmentally sustainable solutions to help waterfront areas prevent and reduce the inflow of plastic waste into the oceans.
A member of the 3DEXPERIENCE Lab accelerator program, Clean Sea Solutions has the goal of making the world’s oceans cleaner with autonomous removal of plastic waste. To that end, they’re working with established industrial partners within the Norwegian oil and gas, autonomy and maritime industries to develop innovative stationary and autonomous solutions for collecting plastic waste in lakes, canals, rivers, harbors, marinas and other waterfront areas.
Clean Sea Solutions is focused on developing systems to clean up plastic waste close to shore, in limited areas where there are large quantities of marine plastic. They’re developing a few different innovative solutions, like a modular floating dock and autonomous electric drones.
The PG-AquaPod is a waste-collecting floating dock with 700 liters of capacity that is adaptable to common marinas and other areas. The AquaPod removes plastic waste by creating waterflow into a net, where the waste is secured for easy removal. It can be integrated into existing docks and equipped with sensors for data capture and SMS notification when it’s full.
Aqua Drone 1 is an electric, autonomous aqua drone designed like a catamaran with a collection unit to remove plastic waste in and just below water surfaces. It’s controlled with a graphical user interface, vehicle control station (VCS) or mobile app. The operator can schedule assignments using specific waypoints or use templates to create “lawn mower patterns.” AquaDrone is also equipped with sensors for mapping the seabed and environment.
Benefits from the 3DEXPERIENCE Lab
From the beginning, Clean Sea Solutions has used 3D applications in the development process. The 3DEXPERIENCE platform has enabled a seamless workflow in sustainable design, control, communication and data processing – both internally and in collaboration with partners and subcontractors. Modeling and simulation have empowered the development of prototypes, including defining design, choosing sustainable materials and making calculations on performance and endurance.
Learn more about the 3DEXPERIENCE Lab accelerator program. And check out more stories about 3DEXPERIENCE Lab startups.
