The Manta — SeaCleaners Overview
The Manta — SeaCleaners — Deep Research Dossier
CRITICAL UPDATE: The SeaCleaners filed for bankruptcy in June 2024 following a financial fraud scandal involving founder Yvan Bourgnon. The Manta was never built.
The Vessel Design (Never Built)
| Spec | Value |
|---|---|
| Type | Giant sailing catamaran (quadrimaran with outriggers) |
| Length | 56.5m |
| Beam | 26m hull-to-hull, 46m with outriggers |
| Height | 62m (mast height) |
| Displacement | 1,800 tonnes |
| Crew | 34 (22 crew + 12 passengers/scientists) |
| Design life | 40+ years |
| Naval architects | Manta Innovation + Ship-ST (FR) + LMG Marin (NO) |
| Engineering | 45,000+ hours, 60+ engineers, 30+ companies, 4 research labs |
Collection System (4 Methods)
1. Conveyor belts — surface collection carpets guide debris onto inclined conveyors (primary) 2. 3 floatable collection systems — deployable surface-skimming booms 3. 2 small collection boats — for shallow, narrow areas 4. 2 lateral cranes — for largest floating debris
Capacity: 1–3 tonnes/hr. Target: 5,000–10,000 tonnes/year. Minimum debris size: 10mm.
Processing — WECU (Waste-to-Electricity Conversion Unit)
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Process | Pyrolysis (thermal decomposition without oxygen) |
| Output | Up to 100 kW electrical via syngas turbine |
| Secondary | Heat recovery for onboard thermal needs; solid char residue |
| Manufacturer | Never publicly disclosed |
| Temperature | Never publicly disclosed |
Energy System — Hybrid Renewable (~500 kW total)
| Source | Output |
|---|---|
| Two wind turbines | ~100 kW |
| Solar panels (500 m²) | ~100 kWp |
| Two hydro-generators | ~100 kW |
| WECU pyrolysis | ~100 kW |
| Sails (1,500 m²) | Propulsion |
Construction Status
The vessel was never built. Timeline:
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| 2018 | Manta Innovation SAS established (La Trinité-sur-Mer) |
| June 2022 | Bureau Veritas Approval in Principle — design certified as buildable |
| 2022–2023 | Shipyard consultation. Bourgnon: "cannot be built in France" |
| Nov 2023 | Bourgnon resigned amid fraud investigation |
| June 2024 | The SeaCleaners filed for bankruptcy |
The Scandal
- Board discovered "serious financial irregularities" during internal audit
- EUR 130,000 spent on Paris apartment for Bourgnon's family
- EUR 279,000 in over-invoiced services benefiting Bourgnon's partner
- Organization purchased thousands of copies of Bourgnon's own books
- November 2023: Libération broke the story. Bourgnon resigned before disciplinary council
- December 2023: Vannes prosecutor opened criminal investigation (aggravated abuse of trust)
- June 2024: Bankruptcy filed. Major donors withdrew.
- Bourgnon denies wrongdoing, calls it "a skilfully staged mutiny"
Funding
| Detail | Value |
|---|---|
| Total project budget | EUR 35–42 million |
| Raised (mid-2023) | ~EUR 25 million |
| Spent on engineering | EUR 7 million |
| Funding gap at collapse | EUR 10–17 million |
| Model | ~95% corporate sponsorship |
| Sponsors | 72 corporate (50% French), 10,000+ individual donors |
Founder — Yvan Bourgnon (Now Disgraced)
- Franco-Swiss, professional sailor since age 22
- Won Transat 6.50 (1995), Transat Jacques Vabre (1997)
- First person to circumnavigate solo on open catamaran (2013–2015, 230 days)
- Motivated by plastic devastation seen during circumnavigation
- Current: Under criminal investigation. Resigned from all positions November 2023.
What Actually Exists — Mobula Fleet
The smaller Mobula boats were the only operational output:
- Mobula 8: 8–9m aluminum boats, 2.4 tonne payload, fits in 40-ft container
- Built by EFINOR Sea Cleaner
- Deployed to Indonesia (late 2021), multiple units operational
- Mobula 10: Larger model (11–12m), planned for 2024–2025
Operational Plan (Never Executed)
- Target regions: Southeast Asia (Yangtze, Ganges, Mekong river mouths)
- NOT targeting GPGP — explicitly designed for coastal/estuarine operations
- Rationale: intercept plastic at source before it disperses into open ocean
Assessment
The engineering was real — 45,000 hours by 60+ professionals, Bureau Veritas certification. The collection system (4 methods), pyrolysis WECU, and hybrid energy concept were innovative. But the project failed at the organizational level through financial fraud. The engineering IP (held by Manta Innovation SAS) may survive the bankruptcy, but no evidence of continuation under new ownership.
Their collection engineering — particularly the conveyor belt surface system and deployable boom design — could inform future at-sea collection approaches.