Page 12: of Marine Technology Magazine (September 2020)

Leading O?

Innovative products, technologies, concepts & people

Images courtesy: WWF/NorShipping

Plastic is suffocating our oceans. Christine Spiten, Nor-Shipping’s latest #ACTION hero, provides a breath of fresh air, explaining how she left

Blueye for the WWF and a mission to stop the problem at its source.

pioneering underwater drone company hopefully sparking a lifelong interest “Eight million tons.”

Blueye Robotics in 2015 – with the and passion. People care for things

Christine Spiten lets the number sink goal of making underwater exploration they experience, enjoy and under- in for a second… “That’s how much plastic enters the more accessible, for both individuals stand. Blueye drones open up a new and industry – was shortlisted for Nor- world of wonder.

sea every year from our cities and rivers.

It threatens not just local ecosystems Shipping’s Young Entrepreneur Award “However,” she adds, “I also saw at in 2017 and, in 2019, decided to use her ? rst hand, through both research proj- and the wider environment, but also us passion and business network to help ects and commercial and recreational – our food sources, our livelihoods, our the World Wildlife Fund. She is now use, just how much pollution was en- very existence. It is the fastest growing their Senior Advisor, Plastic & Circular tering our oceans. I saw it’s impact and environmental problem we face. And it

Economy. felt, I don’t know… a little powerless. I demands action. Now.” “I was sick of being at the ‘end of fun- wanted to change that. I wanted to help nel’,” she explains. address the problem at its source – to try

Empowering move “Through my work with Blueye I and block the funnel.

Spiten doesn’t like wasting time.

wanted to help people fall in love with “But that,” she says with an air of

The 30 year old Norwegian is a former the ocean. To both reveal and immerse marked understatement, “is a chal- national sailing champion, co-founded them in the beauty beneath the waves, lenge.” 12 September 2020

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