UK shipyard MMS has added a new member to its fleet of floating-debris collection vessels. The latest Envirocat is the first to clean up waterways without releasing engine fumes into the environment.

A 2015 study undertaken by The Ocean Cleanup in 2015 found that two thirds of the plastic waste entering the world’s oceans could be traced to just 20 rivers. As well as tackling this suffocating waste problem out at sea, the non-profit also launched a bunch of river Interceptors to stem the tide at its source.

While the Envirocat 8.5 doesn’t look as slick, its purpose is the same. It’s destined to remove floating plastic waste and debris from harbors, ports, marinas, lakes and canals, while potentially performing double duty as a general workboat when fitted with a portable or fixed deck.

MMS Ship Repair & Dry Dock Co Ltd.

As the catamaran motors along at up to seven knots with the help of two 6-kW electric outboards, any floating plastic or debris on the surface that’s collected between the hulls is prevented from continuing its polluting journey by a 3-cubic-meter (106-cu-ft) basket trap. This can be lifted out vertically at shift’s end, and the waste sorted and sent on for responsible disposal or recycling.

The vessel’s six 9.6-kWh battery units are reckoned enough for an 8-hour workday at low speeds. Unlike solutions like the Clearbot, the Envirocat 8.5 does require humans to operate it but can be manned by a single person in the wheelhouse.

The Envirocat 8.5 is the brainchild of Rob Langton, managing director of MMS Ship Repair & Dry Dock Co Ltd. in Hull, UK, and has been developed in collaboration with naval architecture studio Rockabill Marine Design.

Pricing has not been revealed, but anyone interested in purchasing is advised to contact the company direct to arrange a visit to the Hull shipyard for trials on the demonstration vessel.

Source: MMS