Belfast Harbour deploys autonomous debris removal system

Developed by NetZero Alchemists, the Aquapod system is a fixed installation that operates continuously to collect floating litter, plastics, organic debris, microplastics and surface oil films from sheltered waters. The unit is connected to existing dock or pontoon infrastructure and is powered by a standard electrical supply, allowing it to operate without onboard fuel or batteries.

The system uses an integrated pumping mechanism to create a gentle water flow that draws floating debris into a removable collection bag with a capacity of more than 350 litres.

Routine maintenance primarily involves emptying the collection bag before returning the unit to service.

Aquapod operates autonomously after installation but can also be monitored remotely through the company’s Clean Impact View platform. The software provides operators with information on system status, waste collection activity and environmental monitoring data, while authorised users can start or stop the unit remotely if required.

Simon Gibson, Marine, Environment & Biodiversity Officer at Belfast Harbour, said the organisation would assess the performance of the new system while continuing to explore other environmental technologies.

“We’re proud to be the first marina in the UK to introduce the Aquapod system and hope Belfast Harbour can act as a benchmark for how practical innovation can support with improving water quality and creating better environments,” he said.

“The Marina is one of the most visible and high-profile places where the public and the port meet within Belfast Harbour, whether it’s for visitors to our waterfront or for those who arrive into Belfast by leisure craft, so it’s important that it reflects the very best of the city.

“As well as evaluating the impact of the Aquapod, we will be looking at other technological approaches we can adopt as we continue to innovate to improve this area for visitors and boat users alike.”

Scalable

The company says multiple units can be installed across marinas, commercial ports or harbour estates and monitored through a single dashboard. In larger port environments, Aquapod is intended to work alongside autonomous surface vessels capable of transferring collected debris to fixed collection points.

Clean Impact View is designed to provide operational and environmental reporting, including environmental monitoring, sustainability reporting, operational oversight and data to support environmental management.

The Belfast Harbour Marina installation is the first commercial deployment of Aquapod in the UK.

Alan Branagh, founder and director of NetZero Alchemists, said the system was intended to move harbour operators ‘from reactive clean-up towards continuous environmental management’.

He added that the Belfast Harbour deployment is intended to demonstrate ‘how autonomous environmental technologies can support cleaner waterfronts while providing the operational intelligence increasingly required by harbour authorities, marina operators and asset owners’.

The deployment forms part of a wider programme by the company to develop what it describes as “Autonomous Water Intelligence”, combining continuous pollution collection with environmental monitoring and digital reporting for ports, marinas and waterfront developments.