Nokia wireless & edge tech to help The Ocean Cleanup combat plastic pollution

“We are proud to support and collaborate with The Ocean Cleanup and look forward to see how our technology can genuinely drive sustainable change and help protect critical natural resources and habitats,” says Subho Mukherjee, the head of sustainability at Nokia.

Nokia says it’s committed to using technology to tackle global issues, such as plastic waste pollution in the ocean. According to the Ocean Legacy Foundation, plastic waste makes up 80% of marine pollution and 8-10 million metric tons enter the ocean annually. Nokia aims to reduce this burden.

The Ocean Cleanup is an international nonprofit project that seeks to address the global plastic pollution crisis by developing and scaling technologies to rid the world’s oceans of plastic. To do this, they take a two-pronged approach: stemming the inflow of plastic via rivers with Interceptor Solutions and cleaning up what has already accumulated in the oceans.

Nokia and MCS have already deployed the first private wireless solution for The Ocean Cleanup operations using Nokia Digital Automation Cloud (DAC). By leveraging Nokia MX Industrial Edge (MXIE) and analytics technology, The Ocean Cleanup can utilize high-end video connectivity over 4G networks to navigate operations while extracting plastic from the Great Pacific Garbage Patch.

“Our Nokia DAC private wireless network and Nokia MXIE edge computing system will ensure reliable, cost-effective voice and data communication between the two ships involved in the cleanup operation. With secure coverage on open sea also enabling video and analytics, this solution improves worker safety and provides high visibility and scouting of target cleanup areas,” says Stephan Litjens, the VP of enterprise campus edge solutions at Nokia.

5G, edge computing, sensors, private wireless, AI-based analytics, drones and other advanced technologies can significantly support the conservation and sustainability of natural environments by providing constant information on land or sea conditions. The Ocean Cleanup offers an opportunity to explore this further.

“Through our subsea optical fiber networks, innovations such as acoustic sensing technology, remote environmental monitoring, or private wireless, Nokia can — and will — continue to play an important role in the marine environment,” adds Mukherjee.

Kyndryl, a provider of IT infrastructure services, made headlines last month for entering into a three-year agreement with Nokia to develop private wireless services based on 5G and LTE Industry 4.0. By teaming up, customers can leverage Kyndryl’s network deployment functions in combination with Nokia’s cellular radio proficiency.

Article Topics

5G  |  edge server  |  ESG  |  networking  |  Nokia  |  sensor  |  sustainability  |  The Ocean Cleanup