The demonstration of the SeaClear2.0 and SeaClear robotic systems – two innovations in the field of autonomous detection and removal of marine debris – took place in Marseille in September 2025. The live demonstration showcased the AI-powered autonomous robots developed as part of the SeaClear and SeaClear2.0 projects for mapping, detecting, classifying, and collecting marine debris from the seabed and sea surface. Yves Chardard, CEO of Subsea Tech, explained: “The first demonstration of SeaClear2.0 was a great opportunity to showcase our solution for cleaning the seabed of waste. With up to eight autonomous and remote-controlled robots working together in the air, on the water, and underwater, we have demonstrated that a fully unmanned system can meet the challenge of cleaning the seabed with a safe, environmentally friendly, and cost-effective solution.”

Our oceans contain around 25 million tons of plastic waste, around 94 per cent of which is found on the seabed. Every year, between 150,000 and 500,000 tons of macroplastics and between 70,000 and 130,000 tons of microplastics end up in European waters and seas. Detecting marine debris on the seabed is costly, and polluted areas of the seabed are often inaccessible. Using a combination of unmanned surface vehicles, remotely operated vehicles, and an unmanned aerial vehicle, the SeaClear2.0 robotic system can detect, classify, and collect marine debris on the seabed and in the water column. By integrating AI-driven algorithms, SeaClear2.0’s robots can efficiently identify and remove marine debris from inaccessible or hazardous areas with minimal human intervention, providing an effective, safe, and minimally invasive solution. SeaClear2.0’s groundbreaking technological solutions, which can be deployed at depths of up to 100 meters and lift objects weighing up to 250 kilograms, represent a paradigm shift in marine restoration. During the demonstration, stakeholders from environmental associations, business clusters, and industry were able to see the SeaClear and SeaClear2.0 robotic systems in action and learn about the capabilities and functions of the autonomous robots from the experts.

In the SeaClear2.0 project, Fraunhofer CML is focusing on developing the shuttle tender, which is responsible for depositing the collected waste, and is providing expertise in system integration and scaling. The autonomous docking maneuver of the shuttle tender to the waste collection vehicle was successfully tested in Marseille.
Source: Fraunhofer CML, SeaClear2.0