- Technology and Innovation
The 5 ppm Standard: How Digital Yacht Solved Microplastic Pollution at the Pump
The Origin Story: A Crisis Averted
Every yacht owner fears the call: the one informing them their vessel is in jeopardy. For Nick Heyes, Managing Director of Digital Yacht, receiving that news—that his boat was sinking due to a failed bilge pump—was the catalyst for a fundamental change in marine safety technology. The subsequent discovery that the failing pump had also been ejecting contaminated bilge waste, including fuel, oil, and microplastics, underscored a massive, unaddressed flaw in standard onboard practices. The mandate for the Digital Yacht design team was clear: create an intelligent solution for monitoring and environmental protection.
Remote Monitoring: NMEA and Victron Integration
The result of that mandate is Bilge iQ, an intelligent bilge monitoring and control system that works with any bilge pump. Bilge iQ connects directly to the vessel’s NMEA 2000 network, displaying the pump’s status and allowing control from the Multi-Function Display (MFD). Crucially, the system features a wireless interface that sends real-time data—including current draw and pump cycles—to a mobile device. For ultimate peace of mind, Bilge iQ connects with Victron Cerbo systems for remote monitoring via the free VRM cloud platform, offering protection anywhere in the world.
Environmental Integrity: The 5 ppm Standard
Digital Yacht recognized that the bilge is where contaminants—fuel, oil, paint flakes, microfibres—collect, making unmonitored discharge “mindless pollution”. To address this, Digital Yacht partnered with Wave International, the manufacturer of Lloyd’s Register-approved Wavestream bilge filters. Wavestream filters remove all hydrocarbons and contaminants before discharge, ensuring only clean water is pumped overboard. This comprehensive solution removes contaminants down to 5 ppm (parts per million), meeting the highest environmental standards often required in Marine Protection Areas.
Industry Recognition: A Double Accolade
The system’s importance was quickly recognized by the marine industry. Bilge iQ won the NMEA Association’s Best New Product Award in September. This was followed by a prestigious double win in November: the DAME Design Award for Environmental Design and a special mention in the On Board Safety category at METS 2025. This “double accolade” confirms that the product is a vital, affordable, and easy-to-fit solution for both safety and ecological responsibility.
The Final Word: Protecting the Yacht and the Ocean
Bilge iQ represents a new era of connected safety and environmental stewardship. By transforming a simple bilge pump into an intelligent, monitored device, the system delivers precise information on failures like dry runs or unusual run times, preventing both financial loss and ecological harm. The partnership between Digital Yacht and Wave International has created a comprehensive solution that not only protects the owner’s vessel but also commits to preserving the pristine marine environment.
