Selangor Journal
The Ocean Cleanup chief executive officer Boyan Slat (fourth from right) explains how the Interceptor 005 floating trash collector works to state executive councillor for infrastructure and public amenities Izham Hashim (fifth from right) #SayNo2Plastic founder Tengku Datin Paduka Setia Zatashah Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah (second from right) and Menteri Besar (Incorporated) chief executive officer Norita Mohd Sidek (right) during their tour visit along Sungai Klang on April 4, 2022. — Picture by HAFIZ OTHMAN/SELANGORKINI

Malaysia to get more floating trash collectors from Selangor-based assembly plant

By Alang Bendahara

KLANG, April 4 — The success shown by Interceptor 002 and recently commissioned Interceptor 005 floating trash collectors in cleaning up Sungai Klang has prompted its sponsor The Ocean Cleanup to install more of its solutions in Malaysia to halt and extract riverine plastic before it reaches the ocean.

The Dutch foundation’s founder and chief executive officer Boyan Slat said they aimed to make Sungai Klang a model for river care in Asia.

“There is a strong focus to make a change in river care here in Selangor and it aligns with The Ocean Cleanup’s aims to tackle 1,000 rivers around the world, to stem 80 per cent of the river plastic pollution flowing into the ocean.

“We hope to amplify this support over the next three years with a number of initiatives in the region, including in Bangkok, Thailand and in Johor, and perhaps in the northern states of Malaysia. So Malaysia will get to see more Interceptor deployed here,” he said during a visit to Interceptor 005 along the Sungai Klang here today.

Slat said the placement of the Interceptor 005 in Sungai Klang in October 2021 follows the success of the Interceptor 002, which has been complementing Landasan Lumayan Sdn Bhd (LLSB)’s seven log booms along a 56km stretch of the river under the Selangor Maritime Gateway (SMG) project since 2019.

LLSB, a subsidiary of the Selangor government, has been given the mandate to lead the SMG project, including cleaning and conservation efforts in Sungai Klang as well as other sustainable development in the surrounding area.

The Ocean Cleanup chief executive officer Boyan Slat speaks to the media following the tour visit to the Interceptor 005 floating trash collector along along Sungai Klang on April 4, 2022. — Picture by HAFIZ OTHMAN/SELANGORKINI

He added the Interceptor 005, which is the first third-generation Interceptor series, was fully assembled at its facility in Port Klang.

“It is the result of knowledge gained from past deployments to help improve its collection efficiency and ease of production.

“The Ocean Cleanup has enjoyed a highly collaborative and supportive relationship with LLSB and the Selangor state government, which is a reason we chose to locate our assembly facility for future Interceptors and other river cleaning solutions in Port Klang, together with the appointment of MHE-Demag Malaysia Sdn Bhd that will cater to our requirements in Asia,” Slat said.

He said the Interceptor that will be sent to Bangkok later this year and to Los Angeles in the United States are made in their Selangor assembly plant.
Slat also said they will help improve some of the log booms which were damaged in the recent floods that hit Selangor in December last year.

Meanwhile state executive councillor for infrastructure and public amenities Izham Hashim who was in attendance said they are quite pleased over the collaboration with the Dutch foundation.

“The cost for each Interceptor is not cheap, the 005 model which is sponsored by the Coldplay band costs one million Euro (RM4.66 million) with the cost having since gone up, yet we get it for free. The non-profit organisation plans to produce 1,000 Interceptor units for five years with money from their sponsors.

“So we are happy and proud that this world famous organisation has chosen to locate its assembly plant in Selangor to produce Interceptors for deployment in many countries,” said Izham.

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