It's no secret that ocean pollution is a problem that threatens the world's largest natural ecosystem, one that scientists are trying to remedy in various ways. One solution comes from Italy, where a reputable boatyard known for producing luxury yachts has created a boat with a much different mission—to help clear the oceans of plastic waste.

The CPN Shipyard, based in Ancona, Italy, first developed what is now known as the Kela Eco Boat in 2012, working on several prototypes before settling on the two versions that exist today—one with a length of 11 meters and one of 13 meters, said Francesco Faragalli, project manager for Kela Eco Boat, in a recent Design News interview.

Partners in Fighting Plastic Pollution

So far, there are about seven boats in operation by customers in Italy and Thailand who have bought Kela Eco Boats, while negotiations are ongoing with potential clients in Indonesia, Nigeria, and other European countries, Faragalli told Design News.

CPN also is working with partners to participate in clean-up and waste-collection activities using the boats. Recently, a Belgium-based nonprofit called Waste Free Oceans (WFO) unveiled that it's teaming up with the Kela Eco Boat to sponsor clean-ups using the vessel as well as to manage and recycle the waste into products that can be resold.

WFO is aimed at mobilizing the fisheries sector, the plastics industry, policy makers, and the wider public to reduce the impact of marine litter on the world's ocean environment and natural resources, according to its website.

The organization partners with recyclers, converters, and brands to then reuse the plastic waste it recovers from the ocean and other bodies of water. In fact, WFO often keeps track of the whole plastic value chain, working alongside recyclers to ensure the different types of plastic are recycled and sorted properly and then later working with partners to create new products with plastic collected on clean-ups, Clara Hoyas, a spokeswoman for the organization, told Design News.

For example, the group has carried out clean-ups in the Danube River for many years, and some of the plastic collected has been upcycled into products such as glasses and suitcases in collaboration with partners, she said.

"We always try to partner with new brands who are willing to make their product more sustainable, then we run some tests and sometimes we manage to create new products with a certain percentage of ocean plastic," Hoyas said. "That's already a victory."

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