Balikpapan – A community service team from Institut Teknologi Kalimantan (ITK) has developed MARGO-CLEANER, a boat designed to collect floating waste in the Margo Mulyo Estuary, West Balikpapan District, Balikpapan. Across three trials documented in the project report, the boat collected a total of 9 kilograms of waste over 90 minutes.

The innovation was developed through the 2026 Program Mahasiswa Mengabdi Desa (PMMD), a student community service program, in collaboration with a local fishing community. The initiative addresses waste that frequently becomes mixed with fish catches, interferes with fishing nets, and increases fishers’ workloads.

According to preliminary observations and interviews recorded in the project documentation, waste was estimated to account for approximately 70–80 percent of net contents under certain conditions. Fishers also reported spending an additional 120–180 minutes per day cleaning their nets. These initial findings informed the development of a waste collection vessel suited to estuarine conditions.

MARGO-CLEANER features a monohull configuration, consisting of a single main hull with outriggers on both sides. The outriggers help maintain stability while supporting waste collection nets mounted beneath them.

As the boat moves at a controlled speed, floating waste is directed into the nets. The main hull provides space for the operator and for handling the collected waste. The design accommodates fishers’ needs and the shallow waters surrounding the Margo Mulyo mangrove area.

The academic team comprises Dr. Amalia Ika Wulandari, S.T., M.T., Nia Febrianti, S.T., M.T., and Husein Syahab, S.T., M.T. Ten students from the Naval Architecture, Environmental Engineering, and Informatics study programs also participated in the project.

Project activities included coordination with community partners, waste management education, design finalization, material procurement, hull construction, outrigger installation, and refinement of the net system. Local fishers were involved from the identification of problems through preparations for operating and maintaining the boat.

The trial results presented in the project report cover three waste collection sessions, each lasting 30 minutes. The boat collected 2.6 kilograms of waste in the first trial, 3 kilograms in the second, and 3.4 kilograms in the third.

Of the 9 kilograms collected, plastic accounted for the largest share at 6.1 kilograms, followed by 1.8 kilograms of Styrofoam and 1.1 kilograms of other or mixed waste. These results provide an initial record for evaluating the boat’s waste collection function.

Alongside the technological development, the team provided education on organic and inorganic waste, its effects on mangroves and aquatic life, and the principles of reducing, reusing, and recycling. Participants also learned about the functions of the outriggers, net operation, and the importance of sorting and recording collected waste.

The evaluation documented in the report involved 15 participants who completed tests before and after the educational session. The average percentage of correct answers increased from 60 percent to 84 percent, a rise of 24 percentage points. These results suggest an improvement in participants’ understanding of the topics covered.

Continued use of MARGO-CLEANER requires routine maintenance, inspection of outrigger connections and nets, and consistent recording of collection results. Proper handling of waste once it reaches shore is also essential to connect waterway cleanup activities with subsequent sorting and waste management.

Through collaboration among academics, students, and local fishers, ITK is developing appropriate technology grounded in community needs. MARGO-CLEANER is expected to support cleaner waters in the Margo Mulyo Estuary while strengthening community participation in protecting Balikpapan’s coastal ecosystems.ITK mengembangkan MARGO-CLEANER, perahu pembersih sampah terapung yang mengumpulkan 9 kilogram sampah dalam tiga kali pengujian untuk mendukung kebersihan perairan Muara Margo Mulyo, Balikpapan.