Debris-collecting vessel cleans up UK port

Designed and built by MMS Shipbuilding Ltd, the Envirocat Marina Bravo catamaran will be used by ABP’s Port of Goole to remove any debris (flotsam) from its eight docks. The vessel collects debris in a heavy-duty mesh skip that is positioned between the catamaran hulls. Once full, the skip is lifted onto the quayside and emptied.

“The Bravo is a welcome addition to the Port of Goole,” said Simon Bird, director of ABP Humber.

“The vessel will be deployed regularly by our Marine Team to keep the dock’s water clear of debris, as they already do at the Ports of Grimsby and Hull.”

Waste material enters the docks in different ways; bad weather can blow material in, or the tide can bring in floating debris as vessels enter the locks. ABP said that removing waste helps prevent it from entering watercourses where it can damage the environment and endanger wildlife.

Once collected, the material is sorted and recycled. The hard plastics are used by recycling firm TerraCycle, which produces recycled plastic pellets used to manufacture plastic bottles for shampoos and hand soaps.

Using Hull’s Envirocat, the ABP Humber marine team collected 45 CBM of hard plastic across the ports of Hull and Goole last year.

The Bravo has bespoke plates that fit over the collection basket area to create a safe working space of around 12sqm. This will enable the vessel to be used for inspections and engineering works.