SeaClear2.0: Mission Possible

Restoring the Oceans

Marine pollution is one of the major environmental challenges of our time. Today, around 25 million tons of plastic are found in the oceans, and more than 90% of it lies on the seafloor. This makes cleanup efforts extremely difficult and costly. Every year, up to 600,000 tons of plastic enter European seas. The Mediterranean Sea is particularly affected, as many people use it intensively and it is a relatively enclosed body of water.

This is where the European research project SeaClear2.0 comes in. It supports the EU Mission “Restore our Oceans and Waters,” which aims to achieve healthy seas and waters by 2030. SeaClear2.0 prevents and removes marine litter both from the seafloor and from the ocean surface.

The project brings together 13 partners from nine European countries as well as Israel. These include companies, universities, research institutes, non-governmental organizations and public authorities. Together, they develop and test solutions that can be applied in the Mediterranean and beyond. This creates a scalable approach that can contribute to cleaning the world’s oceans in the long term.

Robotics and Active Civic Participation

SeaClear2.0 follows a holistic approach: Innovative technologies such as autonomous, intelligent robots detect and collect waste in the sea. At the same time, the project actively engages citizens, connects different stakeholders and develops new policy approaches. The partners also explore how collected waste can be reused in a meaningful way.

The project is expected to run until the end of 2026, with researchers regularly publishing their findings. The SeaClear2.0 Winter School also brings together international participants who are working intensively on solutions to marine pollution. The project received special recognition at the European Robotics Forum.