System 001

The floater of the first ocean cleanup system is in production. The floater is the part of the system that is responsible for catching surface plastic and keep the system afloat. Once completed it will be 600 meters in length, and have a diameter of 1.2 meters.

All 51 sections of the first ocean cleanup system’s floater are now out of the manufacturing plant.

The engineering team is nearing final design of the first cleanup system electronics. Multiple electronic “pods" will be assembled to the floater.

The first parts have safely arrived at our Alameda Yard.

We caught up with our Project Engineer on the Assembly Yard in Alameda just before the first components of cleanup system #1 arrived on site.

The assembly of the first cleanup system made great progress over the last few days.

As the tow test of the 120-meter unit approaches, Boyan summarizes what is left to accomplish before we launch the first cleanup system into the Great Pacific Garbage Patch later this summer.

Checking progress on the assembly of the first cleanup system’s electronic components.

The team is taking advantage of a calm weather window to inspect the 120-meter test section.

This clip we received from the assembly yard could make you think the crew lost their mind...

With the tow test successfully completed, the yard crew received the green light to continue the assembly.

The crew has started the painting process.

The world's first ocean cleanup system is Dutch.

The crew has started lowering the system into the lagoon. This operation will progress in sync with the skirt assembly.

The system 001 assembly just passed the halfway mark.

We are currently assembling the stabilizers of the cleanup system. As the name indicates, their purpose is to provide stability to the system and prevent it from rotating. In total, ten of these stabilizers will be attached to the system, consisting of either single or double floaters.

First footage of our full-scale cleanup system.

As we're approaching the test site, the crew is preparing the closing lines to lock the system in operational configuration.

Timelapse drone shot of System 001 during one of the re-orientation tests.

14 days since the Pacific Trials began.

50 nautical miles to go.

Recap of System 001's trials and deployment

While making adjustments to our cleanup system, the crew took the opportunity to recover this large ghost net drifting by.

Good progress is being made on understanding the root causes of Wilson’s issues; we expect to finalize and share the conclusions in coming weeks.

When learning by doing, discovering and resolving issues is an essential part of achieving success.

After only four months of design, procurement, and assembly, the crew is now on their way to the Great Pacific Garbage Patch with the upgraded System 001/B. Time to put it to the test.

Since we’re back in the patch, here’s a recap of our plans for System 001/B.

Over the last week, the offshore crew has changed the configuration of the system to begin trialing speeding up the system.

Testing campaign has now been completed. Results to be shared next week.

Getting closer to cleaning the oceans.

Right now the weather in the GPGP is preventing the team from completing screen modifications on System 001/B. While we wait for safer conditions, here is a quick recap of what we conceptually achieved so far and the one box left to be ticked on this mission.

System 001/B was designed to help us learn more about our ocean cleanup technology. In June, we sat down with Reijnder, who was with the crew aboard the Maersk Transporter, to discuss the plans for this system and what lay ahead.

Throwback to the deployment of our cleanup system in the Great Pacific Garbage Patch last year. Through this deployment, we confirmed we can catch plastic using the natural forces of the ocean.

We have now finalized the recycling step of the Plastic Journey from pollution to product.

The plastic we are working with has been floating in the ocean for possibly decades, thousands of kilometers from shore. When transforming it into something new, we wanted the material to evoke a reminder of where it's been.

Say hello to The Ocean Cleanup sunglasses, our way to turn a problem into a solution.