Following the successful launch from the San Francisco Bay, The Ocean Cleanup’s System 001 traveled 350 nautical miles to commence the Pacific Trials. The trials will last approximately two weeks and are a crucial step before the System head 800 nm to the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, to clean the ocean plastic.
There are many tasks that must be accomplished during the Pacific Trials, but the Dutch Foundation has identified five main goals for the coming two weeks.
- U-shape installation: The u-shape is integral to conduct many of the tests and this will be the first time the system is ever in its intended shape. To do this, we must connect the four closing lines inside the system.
- Sufficient speed through water: The system’s speed will be tested to ensure that it does move faster than the plastic. This detail is essential for capturing plastic within the system.
- Ability to reorient when wind/wave direction changes: For these tests we will tow the system in various directions against the wind (45, 90 and 180 degrees). When facing different directions, the system should reposition itself facing the plastic again.
- Effective span in steady state: The width of the system will fluctuate based on the conditions of the ocean, but it must stay in a desirable range in order for it to capture and retain plastic.
- No significant damage by the end of the test: The team wants to ensure the system can withstand the conditions of the ocean before they tow it all the way to the patch.
Confirming these objectives will provide us with the understanding to know if the system is up for the challenge it’s set to face in the patch. Should we encounter any issues, it is much easier to tow the system back to shore from here than it would be all the way from the patch…If we observe severe damage, we will then assess if this can be remedied on or offshore.
Shortly after arrival, the system needed to be arranged in its u-shape configuration. This required connecting the closing lines. The closing lines help the system maintain its shape and prevent the system from flipping inside out.
It took approximately two days to arrange the system in its operational configuration. With the aid of the Maersk Launcher and the Megamaid, the closing lines were connected from the inside of System 001.
The installation went very smoothly, and the system seems to be behaving well so far. Configuring the system in its u-shape is the first item from our checklist that we have accomplished, and it directly matches the predicted curvature from engineering models. An overlay of the modelled shape onto a top-view image of the system after installation, September 15.
On its next steps, the team will maintain the u-shape for two weeks, conducting various additional tests.
The crew has already begun testing the system’s orientation in different wind directions and aims to complete these tests tomorrow. With one down and four to go, our goal is to achieve all five of these objectives in the next two weeks. We still have much to learn, so we are taking this time to understand as much as possible. If all items can be checked off, only then can we give the go-ahead to begin the journey to the Great Pacific Garbage Patch.
