BOCA RATON, FLA.—4ocean, a purpose-driven B Corp with a mission to end the ocean plastic crisis, announced their partnership with Poralu Marine, a global leader in marine-grade technologies, on the launch of the BeBot in the United States, a beach cleaning robot designed to recover coastal plastic debris.
The electric-powered BeBot can clean up to 3,000 sqm of beach per hour, 20 to 30x more effective than collecting trash by hand. The machine is agile and easy to maneuver, a clear differentiator from existing options, and it specifically excels at removing small pieces of plastic and other trash that are notoriously difficult to clean by hand, using small 1 cm x 1 cm sifting grids to separate these items from the sand.
Traditional machines are typically very large, powered by gas, and often repurposed from other agricultural purposes, making them poorly suited for more delicate beach cleanup work. In contrast, the BeBot’s smaller footprint and more shallow cleaning depth of 10 cm, effectively removes common beach trash while avoiding disruptions to any nearby habitats or animals, providing a more effective and sustainable approach to cleanups.
“We are always searching for innovative technology to improve our cleanup capabilities and are thrilled to partner with Poralu Marine on introducing such an impactful piece of technology,” said Alex Schulze, 4ocean’s co-founder and CEO. “With the launch of the BeBot, we are able to work smarter and sustainably while recovering plastic that has already seen the ocean and preventing new plastic from ever getting there in the first place.”
Meant to be used daily, the BeBot is remote operated and can be controlled by an operator up to approximately 950 feet away. The robot makes minimal noise while cleaning and requires a much smaller footprint for storage, making it the ideal cleaning method for beaches in populated areas.
This design approach was intentionally created with cleaning trash in mind, which is a first of its kind. 4ocean is on track to remove 20 million pounds of trash by year’s end and the BeBot will be essential in helping the brand reach this important milestone.
Claire Touvier, member of the Environmental Solutions team from Poralu Marine noted, “It is a real honor to present BeBot. We are very proud to be able to launch this new robot in the U.S. with the help of 4ocean. This cutting-edge technology was developed in Italy by a team of experts dedicated to robotics.
While traditional machines equipped with wheels were degrading the shoreline, BeBot has groundbreaking and unprecedented environmental assets. With a unique track system distributing equal and minimum pressure on the sand, BeBot reduces erosion. This innovative design also helps the preservation of biodiversity as it prevents the compression of turtles’ eggs and any vegetal ecosystem in the sand.”
To learn more about the BeBot and all of 4ocean’s ocean cleanup initiatives, visit 4ocean.com.
