Out of sight, the ocean floor concentrates the majority of marine debris. To remove this waste from the bottom of the sea, Europe is mobilizing an autonomous fleet composed of drones and robots. In short
- Delft University of Technology is piloting SeaClear2.0, a European program to clean the ocean floor, presented by the European Commission in April 2026.
- SeaClear2.0 uses an automated fleet, including SeaCAT and Mini Tortuga, to collect underwater waste with a mechanical grapple.
- SeaClear2.0, after four years of experimentation, aims to eliminate 57% of marine debris, with a budget of 9 million euros.
In the Netherlands, the Delft University of Technology drives SeaClear2.0. This European program trains several machines to clean the ocean floor and remove its waste, as presented by the European Commission at the end of April 2026 via its CORDIS portal. Today, most of the cleaning concerns what floats, even if the plastic mostly ends up under water. Always perfectible, this solution therefore seeks these submerged detritus. However, entrusting this recovery to divers is expensive and puts their lives in danger.
Automated fleet brings waste back to the bottom of the sea
SeaCAT takes their place first. Without a crew, this boat serves as a central post. Connected by cable to the SeaCAT, SeaHawk inspects this area from the air. He spots certain accumulations. Mini Tortuga then intervenes under water. It directly maps this relief. « Tortuga » means « turtle » in Spanish. Particularly handy, this small device individually distinguishes each object before its recovery.
This recovery then uses the mechanical grapple. Despite this difficult underwater environment, he grasps different pieces of highly variable sizes and weights. Their nets allow the SeaBees to reach certain cramped passages. After this collection, SeaDragon, the second boat integrated into this fleet, brings its cargo back to the shore.
In Marseille, these tests made it possible to reassemble several tires
This fleet experienced its first tests in a real situation in a Marseille marina, before a new German campaign. Bart De Schutter, a professor at Delft, notably took out with his team several tires, metal mesh and different pieces of boats. Nevertheless, according to this researcher, this crane installed on this building on the surface could even hoist elements of a higher weight.
However, its specifications set higher objectives for the rest of the project. Eventually, these devices will have to be able to reach 100 meters underwater and lift up to 250 kilograms. In any treated sector, SeaClear2.0 also aims to remove at least 57% of the identified waste.
The stakes are huge since more than 90% of marine debris end up on this ocean floor. Annually, these European waters receive up to 600,000 tons of plastic. However, the Mediterranean supports the essentials. Its densely populated coastlines, to which are added its intense tourism, explain this concentration. That’s why its coastal cities mostly host these pilot sites.
SeaClear2.0 arrives after four years of experimentation
Among these pilot sites, Marseille was followed by Larnaca, Cyprus, during November 2025. Venice took over in May 2026. In June, Dubrovnik proposed a demonstration that closed the workshop where about twenty local actors met. These demanded in particular more public fountains. They also wanted easier access to places to bring back these returned packaging.
The final presentation was scheduled in Tarragona, Spain, before SeaClear2.0 ended at the end of 2026. In the spring, however, Yves Chardard, boss of Subsea Tech, a French company, recognized performance still below expectations. This consortium currently has a total budget of 9 million euros. The European Union brings in almost 8 million euros. He will then have to convince some investors.
