This robot shark cleans the Zaanse canals

December 15, 2022, 3:56 PM Modified December 15, 2022, 5:02 PM By Mischa Korzec

The WasteShark is an ‘aquadrone’ that will keep the canal clean of litter, hopes the municipality of Zaanstad. Today it was presented to the public and the new directors of the waste and cleaning service. The shark must keep the Gedempte Gracht clean of the large amount of waste that visitors to the city center throw into the water. Because the Gedempte Gracht is frozen, he was allowed to enter the Zaan for this time.

Link to video

This robot shark eats the Zaanse canals clean – NH News

“We used to have a four-metre shovel and then you couldn’t reach everything,” says Aad van der Wal. He and his colleagues Erik and Wendy can’t wait to pilot the aquadrone. Wendy Fischer lets the men try first, “but I think it would be fun to sail that thing in the canal.” The remote-controlled boat owes its name to the ‘whale shark’ and with a little imagination you can see that in it.

Rubbish Eater

The municipality has baptized the aquadrone “Veulvreter”, the name came about from 130 entries that the city received for the device. Alderman Wessel Breunesse is the first to play with the boat today. Concentrated, he sails the Wasteshark over the Zaan, while Aad throws some cans into the water for the shark to eat. “I hope everyone sees that we are doing everything we can to keep the canal and the center clean.” He therefore calls on visitors to throw their waste in the waste bins as much as possible.

Read the article by NH Nieuws on the above link

more news

The Data Vacuum: Why the EU is Calling for a Digital Revolution for Water

Explore how the EU’s May 2026 Digital Action Plan is transforming water management. Discover why real-time pollutant detection and autonomous IoT tech are the new standards for a Water-Smart Society.

From Observation to Action: The Evolution of Plastic Research

Discover how the University of Toronto Trash Team combines autonomous technology with manual collection to research, quantify and combat plastic pollution in the Great Lakes.

RanMarine Technology Appoints Michael Foss as CEO, as Founder Richard Hardiman Becomes President to Lead Product and Innovation 

Leadership realignment positions company for next phase of global growth and capital markets readiness

WasteShark vs Traditional Skimmer Boats: Which Solution Is Best for Modern Waterway Clean-up?

While conventional boats handle heavy-duty trash tasks, marine robotics offer compelling advantages for daily maintenance, environmental monitoring, and sustainability.

RanMarine Joins Green Marine: A Strategic Partnership for Cleaner, Smarter Ports

As a partner, RanMarine joins a dedicated community of over 50 ports and numerous maritime operators committed to measurable environmental improvement.

Ready to see our shark in action?

Get in touch for a live virtual demo or a quote.
Our team is ready to help.

Trusted by Port Authorities and Facilities Management Teams across the globe

Proven technology. Global Impact.

Don’t just take our word for it. Explore our case studies to see how our customers use data-driven autonomy to create cleaner, safer waters around the world.

PortsToronto

PortsToronto’s Trash Trapping Programme added WasteSharks to supplement their harbour cleanup efforts, removing plastic debris from Toronto harbour

Challenge Almere-Amsterdam

Restore swim-safe water quality with CyanoShark’s chemical-free Cyanobacteria / Blue-Green Algae treatment.

Leeds Waterfront Group

Leeds’ waterways collect tons of floating debris annually, overwhelming manual clean-up crews and threatening wildlife habitats along the River Aire, Leeds and Liverpool Canals

Our Technology

Advanced robotics designed to clean, monitor, and restore marine environments.

WasteShark

Manual & Accessible

The essential tool for calm waters

WasteShark +

Built for Professionals

Power and speed for marinas & ports

WasteShark + Pro

Intelligent Autonomy

LiDAR guided cleaning with data capabilities

CyanoShark

Harmful Algae Solution

Specialized filtration to remove harmful blooms and biomass

MegaShark

Industrial Capacity

Heavy-duty waste removal for ports and large waterways

RanMarine Connect

Unified Data Platform

Real-time water quality monitoring and fleet management

Talk to Us

Tell us what you’re dealing with, we’ll help you find the right solution.

Cleaner waters, delivered to your inbox.

Join 2,000+ subscribers receiving the latest updates on marine technology and sustainability.

Schedule your demo

Book your 30-minute live demo with a RanMarine specialist.
(Subject to location and availability)

Submit a Support Ticket