WasteShark is an autonomous surface vessel inspired by the whale shark’s filter-feeding design . Constructed as a small catamaran with a central debris basket, it's powered by twin electric thrusters and sails silently and emission-free, reaching speeds up to 3 km/h with around eight hours of autonomy in “set-and-forget” missions via LiDAR-assisted navigation. Capable of clearing up to 500 kg of floating waste daily—including plastics, algae, and biomass—it simultaneously collects water-quality data (depth, temperature, oxygen, pH, turbidity) for proactive ecosystem management. WasteShark is manually piloted or remotely pre-programmed via 4G up to 5 km ports. Lightweight (72 kg) and compact (1.6 × 1.2 m), it navigates tight spaces between quays, vessels, and marinas, reducing the need for large, costly clean-up craft. Maintenance and operating costs are minimal—equivalent to a few hours of daily home appliance usage—and require no special certifications. Its portability enables flexible deployments via truck or trailer. WasteShark is deployed by governments, ports, theme parks, utilities, and NGOs, offering a cost-efficient, scalable zero-emissions solution for local water pollution management.

Key characteristics:

• Small, catamaran-style ASV with central debris basket 

• Twin electric thrusters; zero greenhouse emissions 

• Up to 8 h autonomy; up to 500 kg debris/day LiDAR-enabled collision avoidance and waypoint-based missions 

• Lightweight (72 kg); compact design (1.656 × 1.182 m); 5 km remote operation

• Intuitive control; no certification required

• Modular sensor suite: depth, temp, oxygen, pH, turbidity

Environmental benefits:

• Removes plastics, algae, biomass, and hydrocarbons from water at source

• Prevents pollutants from sinking or spreading into oceans

• Energy-efficient electric propulsion reduces noise and emissions

• Low-cost operation encourages frequent clean-up missions

• Real-time water-quality monitoring supports proactive environmental management