The Norwegian fishing gear supplier Mørenot has played a central role in the design, production, and testing of The Ocean Cleanup’s System 002, which is heading for the Great Pacific Garbage Patch later in July.
The Ocean Cleanup is introducing its all-new cleanup system, named System 002 (nick-named Jenny), as the next step of the non-profit organisation’s aim of retrieving 90% of floating ocean plastic pollution by 2040.
The retention system has been delivered by the Norwegian company Mørenot. If everything works according to the plan, every fifteen seconds it will be scouring an area of the Great Pacific Garbage Patch the size of a football pitch.
“Mørenot delivers solutions to sustainably harvest the oceans and we are incredibly proud that Norwegian technology and competence plays an important part in the world’s largest ocean cleanup,” said Mørenot CEO Arne Birkeland.
The Ocean Cleanup is a non-profit organisation that develops advanced technologies to rid the world's oceans of plastic by using river interception solutions and ocean cleanup systems.
“Ocean plastic pollution is an enormous environmental challenge that many of us have experienced firsthand this summer while visiting the beaches. All stakeholders must contribute in any way they can, with necessary competencies, technologies and regulations to sustainably protect ocean ecosystems. It feels meaningful and important to work with The Ocean Cleanup that are driven by innovation and technology towards an ambitious goal.”
Mørenot was contracted to contribute to the design, production, and testing of System 002 retention system earlier in 2021.
“This is an unusual project where we worked in close collaboration with a highly competent team from The Ocean Cleanup, and we were truly able to make use of our solutions and competencies from our long history as a supplier to the fisheries and aquaculture industry,” Arne Birkeland said.
The Ocean Cleanup has successfully collected plastic in the Pacific Ocean with its retrieval venture (System 001B) in 2019 and is planning a return to the Great Pacific Garbage Patch with the all-new System 002 later this month.
“The team at Mørenot share our passion both clean oceans and the relevance of technology as a means to achieve that goal,” said Lonneke Holierhoek, director of science and outsourced operations at The Ocean Cleanup.
“We are very pleased to have the system delivered in time and look forward in confidence to seeing how it will collect ocean plastic in great quantity.”
