The government is seeking a contractor who would be able to deploy a vessel within three hours to clear up flotsam and slime reported around the coast.

The service would have to cover not only ports, internal waters and bays but also coastal waters up to one nautical mile offshore. The tender, issued by the Contracts Department, says that the contractor would also have to provide the service on weekends and public holidays and at any time of day or night, as required.

The call for offers envisages that there would be a minimum of two people per vessel, with the appropriate vessels, equipment and different materials (disposable or otherwise) depending on the type of slime or flotsam. The vessels should not be smaller than 7m and should have an open deck which can be used to transport flotsam and possibly bulky items.

The contractor would also need to dispose of the waste collected, in collaboration with Wasteserv.

The service will cover the period from June 1 to October 31 for 2019 and 2020, meaning it will have to be offered within just 11 days of the May 20 closing date.

The islands have been plagued by reports of slime over the past years, with the feed used in tuna pens as the main culprit.

With regards to flotsam, a number of SeaBins have been deployed in marinas to gather surface material – but the scope of this contract goes well beyond the few kilograms a day that these can scoop up.