The autonomous vessel, nicknamed Esmeralda01, is designed to be “net positive” by running on hybrid green hydrogen and battery power and collecting microplastics as it cruises between Scotland and Northern Ireland. Esmeralda01 is equipped with a three-phase microplastics filtration system. Its developer, Oceanways, is preparing the submarine for its first sea trial.
The Department for Transport (DfT) is supporting its development as part of a £23m round of green maritime R&D funding. It said a fleet of the submarines could secure 27 tonnes of CO2 emissions in its first year of operation with an overall mission to reduce 300 million tonnes of CO2 as the fleet grows.
Dhruv Boruah, founder and CEO of Oceanways, said: “Time is running out and it is imperative we don’t settle for 1 per cent more efficiency in an existing system, but instead radically rethink to create innovative solutions.
“It’s not just #JetZero. Oceanways has assembled a world-class...