Blue Point
- Robotique
A response to the environmental emergency in the Bay of Biscay
According to an OECD report published in February 2022, the oceans are home to 140 million tonnes of waste, 80% of which is plastic. In the Bay of Biscay, the quantity of marine plastic waste, estimated at more than 55,000 tonnes, directly affects the Atlantic-Cantabrian coast. Blue Point is tackling this local problem to generate global solutions, while paving the way for a sustainable economy that respects marine ecosystems.
Blue Point: an initiative to transform marine plastic waste into economic opportunities
Since its creation in November 2023 and with a vision that extends to June 2026, Blue Point has set itself an ambitious goal: to create an ecosystem of inter-cooperation, innovation, entrepreneurship and internationalisation that capitalises on all phases of the marine plastic value chain. This chain includes the identification, collection, cleaning, separation and, finally, the recycling of plastics for their subsequent transformation into new marketable products.
Its activities cover several regions in the Atlantic area, including Gipuzkoa, Cantabria, Asturias, Portugal, France and Ireland.
The Blue Point Consortium is currently being consolidated with the participation of 12 partners representing several regions in the Atlantic area:
- In Spain : the Provincial Council of Gipuzkoa and the MIK Research Centre of the University of Mondragón, SORDECAN in Cantabria, as well as the Government of the Principality of Asturias and ASATA in Asturias.
- In Portugal : the CVR (Centro para a Valorização de Resíduos) and the Laboratório da Paisagem.
- In France : I Clean My Sea, the École Supérieure des Technologies Industrielles Avancées (Estia) with its technology platforms, and Decathlon.
- In Ireland : the Atlantic Technological University, the University of Limerick and the South East Business & Innovation Centre.
As part of this collaboration, ESTIA-TECH, Datalab and the robotics cluster are joining forces to focus primarily on the cleaning and sorting of marine plastic waste. Their mission includes research into existing processes and the design of an automated sorting prototype adapted to the specific problems and constraints of this type of waste. This stage, carried out using CETIA resources, will combine Datalab's expertise in artificial intelligence with the robotics skills of the robotics cluster.
Blue Point's impact goes beyond cleaning up the oceans
The project seeks to generate new businesses by accelerating 25 new companies or innovative initiatives and to lead the maritime sector towards a blue circular economy.
In turn, the project aims to implement technical pilots covering different stages of the marine plastics value chain, from their initial identification at sea to their transformation into new materials.
In addition, the project should increase the participation and awareness of all stakeholders involved in the marine plastics value chain, including ports, fishermen, public administrations, citizens' groups and end-users, who will be part of this new ecosystem of innovation and inter-cooperation.
Finally, one of Blue Point's long-term objectives is to transfer knowledge of technology, business models and new policies to other regions, in order to replicate the model developed and contribute to the maritime sector's transition towards a resource-efficient circular economy.
The budget
With an overall budget of €3,363,464.32, 75% of which will be funded by the Interreg Atlantic 2021-2027 Programme (€2,522,598). The funds will be allocated progressively over the years 2024, 2025 and 2026, with an annual investment of around €1 million.
Remarkably, the Blue Point project was selected by the European Evaluation Committee for a grant of 75% of the total project cost in the first round of the Interreg Atlantic 2021-2027 Programme, underlining its importance and relevance.
To find out more about the project, visit the official Blue Point website: https://www.bluepointproject.eu/home.htm