'Shark' in Dubai Marina that preys on waste

It prevents trash from reaching the oceans.

Meet WasteShark - it may sound scary but it's actually an awesome water drone that preys on trash to prevent it from reaching our oceans. 
WasteShark is just 1.5m X 1m X 0.45m in size but it collects plastic, oil, algae and other debris in various marine environments. It can be deployed 24/7 and can collect up to 350kg (or 180 liters) of waste, leaving zero carbon footprint. 
It is also designed to operate as part of the Internet of Things. A number of sensors can be added to gather data and monitor changes in the marine environment, including measuring the water quality, turbidity and water salinity, among others. 

UAE-based marine and coastal protection specialist, Ecocoast, announced on Wednesday that it has partnered with Dubai Marina Yacht Club to collect plastic and other debris to minimise marine pollution in the marina. Dubai Marina Yacht Club is the first marina in the UAE to partner with Ecocoast to operate WasteShark. 
According to Ecocoast, WasteShark is easy to operate. It comes in two versions -manual and automatic operation.  With less maintenance and manual labour as compared to heavy equipment, the deployment of WasteShark will result in lower upfront operating costs, the company added. 
WasteShark stores its waste and brings it to shore, where it can be recycled or properly disposed of. It can also be retrofitted for oil collection and other pollutants. 
Lachlan Jackson, Ecocoast managing director, said: "Our work tackles the issue of ridding the world's oceans of plastic. With our latest pollution management solution, the WasteShark, we tackle the problem at the source." 
WasteShark is very effective for difficult-to-reach places and smaller areas, and leaves zero carbon footprint while it works. It is not a fast-moving vessel (its cruising speed is between 5.4 to 6.5 knots) so birds and fish are able to swim away from it without trouble, according to Ecocoast.
Ahmed Mohamed Abdelhalim, senior manager marine operation at Dubai Marina Yacht Club, said, "Our pioneering collaboration (with Ecocoast) is an important step in further demonstrating our commitment to environmental best practice." 
"As the first marina in the UAE to install the innovative WasteShark technology, we are raising the bar in undertaking initiatives that will promote environmental sustainability and encourage the people to be more judicious about the use of plastic in marine environments," he added.

WasteShark stats

Size: 1.5m X 1m X .45m
Weight: 54 kg (unladen weight)
Speed: 5.4 to 6.5 knots (cruising speed)
Capacity: can collect up to 350kg (or 180 litres) of waste
Buoyancy: 400 kg
Power Source - 16V rechargeable battery (does not release any carbon dioxide)
Recharge ip to 80% capacity in 20 minutes
Expected Life 60 months, daily use
Connectivity: TCP/IP secure wifi
Remote-controlled (there is also an autonomous boat) with dynamic sensors and a smart camera that tracks floating debris and collects them
Can be deployed 24/7

Plastic predators

An estimated 14 billion pounds of trash-most of it plastic -is dumped in the world's oceans every year
Plastic bags and other plastic garbage is thrown into the ocean kill as many as 1 million marine animals and birds in the Pacific Ocean every year. 
angel@khaleejtimes.com
 

• Dubai

Angel Tesorero

• angel@khaleejtimes.com