Naples: Advanced Equipment and 100% Electric Vehicles for Coastal Care from Bagnoli to Pietrarsa
Naples, May 30 – The second season of “ASIA SEA,” ASIA Napoli’s special project dedicated to beach cleaning and waste management along the city’s coastline, is now in full swing. Building on the success of last year, the service has been enhanced with significant improvements in environmental sustainability and urban decor. The initiative involves daily interventions for the entire summer season, utilizing cutting-edge equipment and exclusively electric vehicles.
The operational plan meticulously covers 15 stretches of the city’s coast, extending from east to west. These areas include Bagnoli, Gaiola, Marechiaro, Riva Fiorita, Spiaggia delle Monache, Largo Sermoneta, Rotonda Diaz (the famous Mappatella Beach), Canalone, Piazza Vittoria, via Nazario Sauro, Boccaperti, Pietrarsa, and the Vico I and Vico II Marina areas in San Giovanni a Teduccio. Additionally, at the specific request of the Municipal Administration, teams intervened exceptionally this morning at Palazzo Donn’Anna beach. This area, typically excluded from public access due to private concession, received attention to temporarily address delays in new assignments for private lidos and ensure maximum hygiene for bathers.
Operational Plan: Dedicated Teams and Sustainable Mobility
The summer service, active from May 1st to October 31st, involves daily cleaning operations, seven days a week. During this period, the team is reinforced, comprising 10 dedicated staff members led by a team leader, divided into two-person teams. These ASIA personnel are specially trained and identifiable by a dedicated uniform and the service logo. In the winter period, starting from November 1st, the service will continue with 3 operators (plus a team leader), with frequency adjusted based on weather and sea conditions.
Ground operations are conducted with a focus on complete ecological transition. Workers move and operate using exclusively electric Porter platform vehicles, mechanical rakes, beach cleaners, and electric lawnmowers. This approach eliminates acoustic and atmospheric impact on the beaches. To complement the ground service, support for “spazzamare” (sea-sweeping) boats is confirmed until October 31st, operating regularly twice a week. Just this morning, an additional “spazzamare” boat was activated at Darsena Acton. Special urgent “on-call” interventions are also planned in coordination with ABC, aimed at promptly containing and collecting any floating debris in case of critical issues or overflows from riverbeds and the treatment plant.
Innovation: Fixed Bins for Waste Separation and Awareness Campaigns
A major innovation this year is the enhancement of separate waste collection. The old mobile bins have been permanently retired, and ASIA has begun installing new fixed chromatic bins on all public beaches involved. These bins, bearing the logos of ASIA and the Municipality of Naples, are designated for different waste streams (yellow for plastic, blue for paper, etc.). These stable structures cannot be removed and aim to consolidate good beach practices, which were already anticipated in recent weeks by targeted public awareness activities conducted in symbolic coastal areas such as Spiaggia delle Monache.
Mayor’s Statement
The Mayor of Naples, Gaetano Manfredi, commented on the launch of the campaign: “The care of our public beaches is a fundamental reflection of our city’s liveability and hospitality. With the second season of ASIA SEA, we not only confirm a model that yielded extraordinary results last year but also take a further technological and cultural step forward. The employment of specially trained personnel, the exclusive use of electric vehicles, and the installation of fixed infrastructure for separate waste collection demonstrate that it is possible to combine urban decor with deep respect for the marine ecosystem. Where temporary critical issues arise, such as in the management transitions of some private lidos, the Municipality and ASIA intervene promptly to not leave citizens alone. However, I appeal wholeheartedly for everyone’s cooperation: the beauty of our coastline largely depends on the behaviour of each of us. Respecting public spaces, properly disposing of waste, and protecting the sea means loving Naples.”
Source: ASIA Napoli, Municipality of Naples
