The Italian shipowner has developed and patented a system that filters out microplastics from the water taken in by on-board abatement equipment, or scrubbers, used to wash sulphur dioxide (SO2) out of ship exhaust gases. The filtration system traps the plastic particles contained in the water used to wash out the SO2 before it is returned to the ocean.

Scrubbers are being used across the maritime industry as one method of lowering emissions in line with regulations established by the International Maritime Organization (IMO). Grimaldi has the technology installed on dozens of its vessels and they suck in enormous quantities of water every day to wash out the sulphur in the marine gas used. Grimaldi said the system effectively makes its vessels “vacuum cleaners for the sea”.