Marella Cruises has claimed an “industry-first” initiative with the launch of a trial scheme to capture microplastics at sea.
The trial will take place onboard Marella Explorer, upon which the line has installed two Indikon filters in the laundry system.
The washing machine filters, created by Cleaner Seas Group, aim to capture microplastics from the machine’s water waste to prevent affecting ecosystems and marine life from plastic microfibres.
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Marella Cruises said the onboard trial means the line and Cleaner Seas Group will be taking on the “biggest ocean microplastic polluter: microfibres from laundry waste”.
Working in partnership with the University of Surrey to monitor and measure the microplastics captured onboard the ships, Cleaner Seas Group said it will adapt any filter technology based on the university’s findings from the trial to provide “long-term filter solutions in microplastic capture”.
Marella Cruises will review the results of the six-month trial before rolling out the Indikon filters across its entire fleet of ships.
Olivia Wells, sustainability manager at Marella Cruises, said: “We are committed to finding ways to further look after the natural environment in which our ships sail.
“By working with Cleaner Seas Group during this six-month trial as an industry-first initiative, we believe that it will support future studies on preserving and protecting oceans.”
Cleaner Seas Group chief executive Dave Miller said: “We are thrilled to be working on this ocean conservation initiative with Marella Cruises.
“By collaborating with one of the largest cruise lines in the UK, we hope to set a new course in microplastic capture prevention at sea.
“Throughout this groundbreaking trial, we will work with the University of Surrey to monitor and measure the rates of microplastics captures in the Indikon filters, whilst simultaneously working with our innovation team to apply and adapt and filtration technology for the cruise industry.”