The River Interceptor™

After the successful trialing period of System 001/B in the Great Pacific Garbage Patch the next landmark is a fact. In close collaboration with The Ocean Cleanup TME helped engineer and manufacture The Ocean Cleanup’s Interceptor™ for the interception, removal and storage of floating riverine debris. This endeavor must reduce the plastic influx into the ocean. The deployment of the Interceptor™ will contribute to a better understanding of riverine debris and the most efficient methods for plastic extraction. Also taking into account the manufacturability for larger series. The Ocean Cleanup aims to extract plastic in 1000 rivers, that contribute to 80% of the ocean plastic, in the next 5 years.

One Interceptor can extract up to 50,000 kgs of trash per day, and has a storage capacity of 50m3 -the volume of 10 adult elephants-, so it can operate even in the most polluted rivers in the world. At maximum efficiency, it can extract up to 100,000 kgs per day. The Interceptor™ is self-sufficient, deriving 100% of its required power from sustainable energy sources. It also operates autonomously; human intervention is limited to exchanging the full barge.

The Interceptor™ consists of a barge carrying storage dumpsters which are filled with debris that is removed from the water by means of extraction conveyors. The barges carrying the storage dumpsters are harbored in a pontoon-based enclosure (the extraction pontoon) which is anchored at a fixed location. Barges with filled storage dumpsters are disconnected from the extraction pontoon and are transported by a towing vessel to a quay that is equipped for this purpose.