Each year, approximately 8 million tons of plastic waste enter the oceans, making it one of the most pervasive pollution problems globally. This issue has prompted a global call for preventive measures due to its detrimental impact on marine life, fishery resources, coastal livelihoods, tourism, the environment, and long-term human health. Marine debris is a significant environmental concern, affecting both human health and aesthetics. Ports and their surrounding areas face particularly severe challenges due to high waste accumulation and the difficulty of cleanup operations amidst heavy ship traffic. This paper presents the results from the early stage of design for a Waste Collecting Vessel (WCV), a versatile ship capable of performing multiple functions, including surface garbage removal, waste collection from other ships, oil spill recovery, and weed cutting. Our research offers new insights into the design and operation of eco-friendly small ships, contributing to sustainable maritime environmental management. The culmination of this work is a conceptual proposal for a catamaran equipped with advanced technologies for efficient waste management in ports and coastal areas. The design is envisioned to be zero-emission and autonomous.