At NAVEXPO 2026, a major event for players in the maritime, naval, offshore, and innovative technology sectors, EFINOR will present the MASS Cleaner, its new autonomous marine pollution control drone, which is currently undergoing operational testing.
Developed by EFINOR Sea Cleaner, this next-generation unmanned vessel demonstrates the group’s commitment to providing concrete solutions to the environmental challenges that are currently transforming port, industrial, and maritime operations.
Designed for use in ports, coastal areas, and on the open sea, the MASS Cleaner combines technological innovation, industrial durability, and operational flexibility within a single platform.
Its debut at NAVEXPO marks a major milestone in its development and will give industry professionals the opportunity to discover a solution designed to support the evolving field of marine pollution cleanup.
The increase in floating debris, the presence of oil on the water’s surface, the monitoring of maritime infrastructure, and the growing need for environmental protection now call for new response methods.
Conventional resources remain essential but can be cumbersome to deploy for certain community-based operations, surveillance, or localized cleanup efforts.
The MASS Cleaner was designed specifically to address this issue.
Its development is based on a simple concept: to provide maritime operators with a tool capable of responding quickly, minimizing human exposure while maintaining a high level of operational capability.
This approach is fully in line with current trends in the maritime sector, where automation and autonomous systems are gradually becoming key drivers of efficiency and safety.
Unlike many projects developed around technology demonstrators, the MASS Cleaner was designed from the outset to be a practical tool.
Made of aluminum, it features a robust design built to withstand the harsh conditions of the marine environment. Its design incorporates the requirements typically found in the naval, offshore, and industrial sectors, where equipment reliability is a critical factor.
Measuring 5.5 meters in length, equipped with electric pod propulsion, and designed to operate in demanding marine environments, the MASS Cleaner is built for heavy-duty use and simplified maintenance.
This robustness is one of the cornerstones of the project.
It embodies the industrial culture that EFINOR has fostered for several decades in the most demanding sectors of French industry.
One of the key features of the MASS Cleaner is its fully modular design.
The platform can accommodate various equipment and modules depending on the operators' needs:
This ability to adapt reflects the reality on the ground: the needs of ports, manufacturers, local governments, and offshore operators are constantly changing.
The goal, therefore, is not to develop a tool designed for a single purpose, but rather a platform capable of supporting multiple uses throughout its lifecycle.
The MASS Cleaner can be operated visually, remotely controlled, or configured for autonomous operation depending on the intended use cases.
With its detection, area-scanning, and trajectory-tracking capabilities, it is designed to operate in complex environments while complying with international navigation regulations.
This architecture opens up new possibilities for interventions in areas:
Beyond the technology, the key challenge is primarily operational: enabling teams to focus their human resources on high-value-added tasks while improving the responsiveness of their interventions.
The maritime sector is now entering a period of profound transformation.
Decarbonizing operations, preserving ecosystems, automating processes, and striving for greater environmental efficiency are bringing about lasting changes in operators’ expectations.
In this context, autonomous maritime drones represent a strategic development.
MASS Cleaner is part of this initiative, offering an approach that complements traditional methods of decontamination and response.
Its electric propulsion, modular design, and ability to address various types of pollution reflect this commitment to providing more flexible solutions tailored to new maritime applications.
EFINOR’s presence at NAVEXPO is not limited to the unveiling of a new product.
It demonstrates the group’s ability to leverage its expertise in engineering, shipbuilding, systems integration, and industrial innovation to develop solutions that address real-world challenges on the ground.
Through the MASS Cleaner, EFINOR demonstrates its commitment to actively contributing to advancements in the maritime industry by offering technologies that are innovative, robust, and designed to meet the future needs of operators.
Currently in the testing phase, this new platform paves the way for new approaches to marine pollution cleanup, environmental monitoring, and autonomous maritime services.
NAVEXPO will therefore provide a unique opportunity to learn about this innovation and discuss the possibilities offered by next-generation maritime drones with the EFINOR teams.
Commissioned for use by the Grand Port Maritime de Marseille (GPMM), the 100% electric pollution control vessel developed by EFINOR Sea Cleaner is fully in line with the strategy to decarbonize port activities.
After nearly two years of operation, the teams have embarked on a structured operational monitoring process in direct contact with users in order to capitalize on feedback from the field.
This approach aims to gain a better understanding of the actual operating constraints, everyday conditions of use, and operators' expectations in a complex and highly demanding port environment.
EFINOR Groupe M shipyards will participate in EUROMARITIME, a major event for players in the maritime economy, which will be held from February 3 to 5.
On this occasion, the group will exhibit at the Normandie Maritime stand (Hall 1 – G83) and present its full range of expertise in workboat construction, environmental solutions, and naval engineering.