INCOIS to use AI and satellite data to map marine litter hotspots

The Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS), Hyderabad, will use a mix of ocean modelling, satellite remote sensing and artificial intelligence and machine learning tools to identify, monitor and forecast marine litter hotspots, as part of a national effort to address ocean pollution.

Speaking at the launch of the National Initiative for Remediation of Marine Litter on Saturday, INCOIS Director T.M. Balakrishnan Nair said these scientific tools would help pinpoint where marine waste accumulates, allowing clean-up and mitigation work to be directed at specific areas.

The pilot phase of the initiative, which aims to build the country's first integrated marine litter tracking framework, was launched in Visakhapatnam in collaboration with Andhra University and Vignana Bharati (VIBHA).

The programme was inaugurated by Ministry of Earth Sciences Secretary T. Srinivasa Kumar and Visakhapatnam MP M. Sribharat on the concluding day of the week-long Swachh Sagar Surakshit Sagar 5.0 campaign.

Mr. Kumar said extensive scientific studies would be carried out in and around Visakhapatnam to trace the sources of marine plastic litter, track its movement and identify areas where it is likely to gather. The findings are also expected to inform strategies for removing and recycling plastic waste, supporting the circular economy.