North Sea cleanup project removes 430,000 kilograms of seabed waste in five years

More than 430,000 kilograms of waste have been removed from the North Sea seabed since 2021 under the CleanUpXL project, BNNVARA reports. An estimated 800,000 kilograms of debris from the MSC Zoe disaster still remains underwater, organizers said during a 10-day diving expedition marking the 30th mission of Stichting Duik de Noordzee Schoon.

During the latest expedition above the Wadden Islands, a UNESCO World Heritage site, volunteers recovered fleecedekens, bathrobes, household items, and fishing-related debris from the seabed. In total, they brought 13 big bags of nets to the surface. They also recovered lobster traps, fishing gear, and assorted household waste.

The expedition reinforced a long-standing conclusion among divers: pollution extends far beyond debris linked to the MSC Zoe container ship incident.

In January 2019, the MSC Zoe lost 342 containers above the Wadden Islands. After salvage operations were halted by the then-Minister of Infrastructure and Water Management, roughly 800,000 kilograms of waste remained on the seabed.

In response, the Waddenvereniging and Stichting De Noordzee launched CleanUpXL in 2021. The project uses the diving capacity of Stichting Duik de Noordzee Schoon. Together with salvors from BDS-Harlingen and Friendship Offshore, the effort has since recovered more than 430,000 kilograms of waste. The year 2026 is the final year of the program.

“Every dive not only brings waste up from the North Sea, but also brings awareness to the surface,” said Ben Stiefelhagen, founder of Stichting Duik de Noordzee Schoon and expedition leader.

Beyond waste removal, divers recorded ecological observations that raised concern among marine specialists. Not all lobsters encountered were in good condition. Divers also documented a large number of dwarf squid eggs. They recorded an unusually high presence of slakdolven, small bottom-dwelling fish never previously seen in such numbers in the Netherlands. Other fish species were rarely observed.

“We are one of the few who see what lives on wrecks in the North Sea,” said Renate Olie, marine ecologist at Stichting De Noordzee. “By systematically recording our observations of animals, we provide valuable knowledge to monitor and understand changes in North Sea nature.”

Project leaders say the anniversary expedition highlights how much debris remains on the seabed as CleanUpXL enters its final year.

“The volunteers of Stichting Duik de Noordzee Schoon provide the only human eyewitness account of the situation on the seabed,” said Ellen Kuipers, CleanUpXL project leader. “No one knows how much waste is currently on the seabed, and there is no cleanup obligation. This is our final project year, while part of the MSC Zoe cargo is still there and new waste continues to arrive.” She added, “Will the government take over?”

In 2019, the MSC Zoe incident occurred when the cargo vessel lost 342 containers during severe storms in the North Sea above the Wadden Islands. The loss of cargo led to widespread dispersal of debris across the surrounding marine area, with significant quantities later washing ashore or settling on the seabed.

Although recovery operations retrieved large volumes in the years that followed, an estimated 800,000 kilograms of material is still believed to remain underwater.