Written by: Matteo Schmid, Project Manager at HPA
SeaClear2.0: Revolutionizing Ocean Cleanup with Advanced Robotics
In a significant step towards combating marine litter pollution, the SeaClear2.0 project team has unveiled the SeaClear2.0 system, an advanced robotic solution designed to efficiently detect, collect and remove waste from the ocean floor, through a test campaign organized by the Hamburg Port Authority (HPA) in the Port of Hamburg. This innovative technology marks a substantial step forward in the fight against marine litter pollution, offering a promising alternative to traditional, costly, and risky methods of marine litter removal.
Tests in Hamburg
In late May 2025 the SeaClear2.0 consortium met in the port of Hamburg for a test campaign organized by the Hamburg Port Authority (HPA). It was the first time to assemble the full SeaClear2.0 system with all the hardware and software components developed. In the first week we emphasized the set up and integration works involving debugging and initial test runs of the equipment. The consortium, and especially the technical partners, were able to successfully operate the SeaClear2.0 system’s components in real-life conditions. During the trials, we faced demanding environmental conditions like turbid water with low visibility for underwater cameras, wind gusts challenging the aerial drones and sediments adding extra weight to the objects to be lifted. Even if these conditions are not exactly ideal for retrieving waste objects from the seafloor, they help to further develop the system, shape its robustness, and ultimately prepare it for operational use in areas with such challenging conditions.

The Evolution of SeaClear
Building on the success of its predecessor, SeaClear2.0 integrates cutting-edge robotics, artificial intelligence, and high-resolution sensing capabilities to identify, classify, and collect marine litter. The system consists of a series of interconnected components, including underwater, surface and aerial drones and a versatile, maneuverable grapple. This comprehensive approach enables the efficient detection and removal of a wide range of marine litter, from lightweight plastics floating on the water surface to heavier items such as tires or e-scooters lying on the seafloor.

Key Features of the SeaClear2.0 system
All components of the SeaClear2.0 system were deployed and tested in the Port of Hamburg.
The SeaCAT, an autonomous surface vehicle (ASV) for mapping and surveying the seafloor serves as a core deployment platform for the tethered aerial drone, underwater robot and grapple ensuring energy supply for those components. Additionally, the SeaCAT hosts a computational unit processing information to enable their joint operation. It conducts initial autonomous bathymetric scans to create detailed seafloor maps and ocean floor surveys.

The Mini-Tortuga, a remotely operated vehicle (ROV), plays a key role in underwater litter detection and mapping through camera and sonar images, adding to the SeaCAT’s seafloor map. In Hamburg, it successfully collected underwater sonar data through manual operation, enabling the grabbing of the smart grapple mounted to the SeaCAT.


The smart robotic grapple to autonomously grasp and retrieve underwater litter based on pre-identified location by the SeaCAT’s bathymetry scan and more detailed data from the Mini-Tortuga, using precise sonar-guided navigation and force-sensitive gripping. In Hamburg, we were able to grab different tires and lift one from the seafloor, placing it on the tender boat. This process identified challenges while showing that the system is able to collect heavy and bulky litter items.


The SeaDragon serves as the mobile tender, docking with the SeaCAT to collect recovered waste and autonomously deliver it to shore. Our tests in Hamburg demonstrated an autonomous docking procedure to the SeaCAT as well as successful placement of a collected tire on the tender platform.

The Flying Drone provided aerial support and surface litter detection, operating both freely and tethered to support robot localization and deliver real-time litter mapping data for the SeaBees.
The unmanned surface vehicles (USV) – SeaBees – are a component to remove marine litter from the water surface by collecting it through a net between two jointly working autonomous USVs. In Hamburg we were able to perform the autonomously navigated collection of surface litter previously identified as such by drone data and successfully transport the waste fractions to a designated recovery point.


Side Events
Together with the technical trials, we organized a demonstration for media representatives and diverse stakeholders from public and private organizations to get to know the system, learn about its functionalities and possible use cases in the Port of Hamburg. This was combined with a policy workshop where representatives of different public authorities and other organizations came together to discuss the possibilities and challenges of marine litter monitoring and collection in the region.
Future Directions
The Hamburg Pilot kicked off a series of real-life trials of the SeaClear2.0 system in various environments and different European regions. The experiences and insights gained will serve to further improve the system. The next trials will take place in Marseille (France), Larnaka (Cyprus), Dubrovnik (Croatia), Venice (Italy), and Tarragona (Spain). As SeaClear2.0 continues to evolve, it is expected to play an important role in shaping the future of marine conservation and marine litter monitoring and collection.
Photo Credits: Leda Ayiomamiti