General information
Project | Catchy 2 |
Year | 2022 |
Location | Erasmus Bridge, Nieuwe Maas River, Rotterdam |
Project | Catchy 2 |
Year | 2022 |
Location | Erasmus Bridge, Nieuwe Maas River, Rotterdam |
Catchy 2 is a riverine litter collection system designed to work in a flowing river. The system was installed under the Erasmus Bridge in Rotterdam in May 2022 with plans of remaining there for at least one year. In March 2023 the permit was extended for another 5 years.
The first generation of Catchy has been in operation for several years and allowed for proper performance assessment. The design parameters of the first system are used for the basics of Catchy 2, only we wanted to go further with the second generation with possible scale-up in mind.
The most important differences are technological. The new system is to be deployed beneath the Erasmusbrug in Rotterdam, in the river Nieuwe Maas. This means that it must cope with different variables than the first system has to. The biggest difference is the continuous flow of a large river, in this case near a coastal area. Catchy 2 is designed to be able to remove plastic from the rive both in ebb and in flood conditions with varying direction of flow. This is enabled by innovation, where the clever non-return door systems have been adjusted to the flow. Another big difference is the use of floaters instead of spud-piles, allowing adjustable mooring. These floaters provide the structural stability needed, but improve adaptability to different situations. Furthermore, by integrating the floaters, which are made of HDPE, into the frame, the amount of steel used is reduced significantly. This means Catchy 2 has a lower environmental impact.
Read more about Allseas’ efforts of collect plastics from rivers and waterways before it can spread to our oceans.
Catchy 2 is a system designed to collect waste in a flowing river. The technological challenges are coping with strong currents, tides and high amounts of biomass. In addition to technological development, we gave the system an attractive look inspired by a whale. Sustainable impact is key for the project, and construction is part of that, so materials used are selected for durability and/or sustainability; the collection cage is partly made out of stainless steel to allow long-life stability and strength, and the whale-inspired plates that give the system its distinctive looks are made from recycled mix of polypropylene and polyethylene. Functionally, this system is able to collect litter in ebb- and flood conditions. Catchy 2 was officially inaugurated in May 2022. At Allseas, we dare to pioneer. We strive for new opportunities and give each other the freedom to innovate.
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Catchy 2, Allseas’ latest river waste collection system, was officially launched on Thursday 19 May. Installed under Rotterdam’s Erasmus Bridge, Catchy 2 collects plastics and other waste in the Nieuwe Maas River before it can flow out into the North Sea. The system operates 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, collecting both floating and submerged waste and works entirely on tide and current.
Read more about Allseas’ river waste collection systems and environmental sustainability efforts.