Wärtsilä joins the fight against ocean debris

Wärtsilä has confirmed a three-year collaboration with the Seabin Project, a start-up project conceived by two Australian surfers to rid the oceans of litter and plastic debris.

The collaboration is part of the Finnish centennial programme, where Wärtsilä aims to give something back to the country in celebration of its anniversary, and as part of its ongoing sponsorship of the Port of Helsinki. “We were looking at different opportunities and then ran into the Seabin Pilot programme. It sounded to us like a wonderful innovation and in the start-up phase, where it has tremendous potential and really dedicated people with a passion to clean the seas. We thought we should bring that to Finland,” explains Atte Palomäki, Wärtsilä.

The company will donate two prototype Seabins to the Port of Helsinki for a trial period before installing a further four when commercially available. For Wärtsilä, it’s vital for the marine industry to embrace their part to play in ocean conservation, “Environmental actions need to take place now and everyone can play a role, corporations as well as individuals," says Jaakko Eskola, president & CEO of Wärtsilä.

Pete Ceglinski, co-founder and managing director of the Seabin Project, explains the technology behind this innovative product, “It’s as simple as putting a water pump in the bottom of a rubbish bin, we put a filter in it and the water comes in through the top, which we then pump out through the bottom, catching any floating debris and plastics in the filter.” In addition to Helsinki, Ceglinski reveals other pilot programmes in France, Montenegro, Mallorca.

For Palomäki, the Seabin Project will be a huge help in keeping the port desirable for tourists. “Helsinki is a very popular cruise port, so the cruise ships come into the very heart of the city. Therefore, of course, the port is something that we all want to keep clean for all the travellers, so it is a beautiful location that they can enjoy.”

Let’s hope this fruitful partnership will inspire other maritime companies to invest in environmental projects, which ultimately benefit the entire industry and those onboard.

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