SSPIRIT

Plastic pollution has become a persistent threat to marine and coastal ecosystems, extending from beaches to the open sea and seabed. To address this challenge, SSPIRIT (Seabed to SPace: Identifying and Quantifying Plastic LitteR with Innovative Remote Sensing Technologies) explores how advanced sensing technologies can provide a comprehensive, multi-layered picture of marine litter.

By combining satellite, aerial, drone, and underwater observations with in-situ sampling and computer modelling, the project aims to detect, quantify and model plastics of different sizes in the Belgian part of the North Sea and the Scheldt estuary. The results will contribute to the scientific basis for future satellite missions and support the development of scalable monitoring tools for plastic pollution.

• Demonstrate the potential of optical (VNIR–SWIR) and acoustic sensors to detect macro- and microplastics.
• Combine remote sensing and field data to map transport routes and accumulation zones of plastic litter.
• Develop models linking suspended particulate matter (SPM), turbidity, and microplastic concentrations.
• Deliver validated methods and policy-support tools for managing plastic pollution in marine environments.

SSPIRIT integrates six complementary technology cases, ranging from satellite-based optical detection and drone-based geomorphological mapping to underwater acoustic imaging and seabed multibeam detection.

A dedicated Innovation Accelerator will ensure that new insights and technologies are transferred to industry and policy stakeholders, enhancing Flanders’ expertise in environmental monitoring and the blue economy.

Blue Cluster facilitates the connection between science, industry and policy, ensuring that the innovations developed within SSPIRIT are effectively translated into applications and valorised within the blue economy.