An anti-pollution barge to preserve the lagoon

Fighting marine pollution is a major challenge for New Caledonia. An innovative solution has been found by a New Caledonian company, which has equipped itself with an anti-pollution boat.

A plastic bottle floating on the water: no problem for the anti-pollution boat, presented Thursday, April 21, at Port Moselle. A simple press on a button and the basket located at the bow collects the waste. This is not the only function of this barge. It can also collect, via pumps and tanks, polluting liquids such as ship's waste water and hydrocarbons.

"This boat, thanks to its connections and its pump, will be able to come directly to another boat, connect to it and recover all these pollutants. This concerns liquids: waste water, black water, grey water and soiled water. Then, in the event of pollution, we switch to pollution control mode," explains Wilfried Point, designer and manager of Ecotank. "The boat will connect directly to an oleophilic skimmer, which recovers 100% of the pollutant and only 2% of water."

A fire hose, a crane and an underwater drone

This barge is multifunctional. It is also equipped with a fire hose and a crane. Already 13 models of this type are in operation, in ports in mainland France. A New Caledonian company has bought the franchise to operate it in New Caledonian waters. "This boat will provide boaters with the possibility of pumping out their boat holds, their liquid waste and collecting their garbage, but also accompany industrialists and mining companies present in our waters to valorize their waste", completes Shéhérãzade Boufeneche, manager of the SNV company.

Regulating wastewater management in ports

"We do not have, for the moment, a tool of this type in New Caledonia. What is also interesting is that it allows us to manage the entire pollutant treatment process. As a marina manager, Sodemo is very interested in this type of service to be provided to the harbors and their users," observes Philippe Darrason, Sodemo's General Manager.

At the origin of the project, the Acotred association gathers several actors specialized in waste management. Its president, Nadir Boufeneche, is already involved in the marine environment through the Western Coastal Zone. "Since our heritage is listed by Unesco, we had to find something innovative and professional. By setting up a franchised partnership with a professional of the sea, like the company Ecotank, we will be able to bring to a label, with a project that is sustainable and durable over time, "he says.

This marine waste collection tool exists, but the provinces have yet to regulate the management of wastewater in New Caledonian ports.

Translated with www.DeepL.com/Translator (free version)