Green Review | Maersk and The Ocean Cleanup extend relationship with new partnership

15 Jan, 2021

Maersk will not only provide marine offshore support to rid the oceans of plastic, but it will also give The Ocean Cleanup end-to-end supply chain management services for both ocean and river clean up systems. Image courtesy of Maeserk.

Danish integrated shipping company, Maersk, and The Ocean Cleanup have extended their relationship with a new three-year partnership.

The Ocean Cleanup’s mission is to develop advanced technologies to rid the world’s oceans of plastic. To achieve this goal, they aim to stop the inflow via rivers and clean up what has already accumulated in the ocean.

The environmental organisation’s ultimate goal is reaching a 90 per cent reduction of floating ocean plastic by 2040.

“As a responsible maritime operator, we are committed to ensuring that the oceans can remain a healthy environment for generations to come. We are therefore very pleased to not just prolong but broaden the partnership agreement initiated back in 2018,” said Mette Refshauge, VP, Corporate Communications and Sustainability, Maersk, on Tuesday.

In addition to Maersk Supply Service support with vessel operations and offshore project management, Maersk will now support The Ocean Cleanup with logistics end-to-end handling services, ranging from worldwide shipment from different locations to airfreight, container and special transport, customs clearance and warehouse and storage management.

“We will have a transport and supply chain manager fully embedded in The Ocean Cleanup’s office in Rotterdam. That program manager will serve as the single-channel for them to engage with the full range of Maersk’s supply chain and transport services globally and will help The Ocean Cleanup to develop their own supply chain management capacity over time,” detailed Mette.

Lonneke Holierhoek, Director of Science and Operations at The Ocean Cleanup, said Maersk’s support over the last three years has been invaluable to furthering their mission.

“We are grateful to not only renew this partnership, but to strengthen it with their end-to-end logistics service. This contribution to our mission will not only help us clean more plastic from the ocean, but it will help us to effectively deploy more Interceptors river cleaning systems, and develop our next products made of certified plastic from the Great Pacific Garbage Patch,” Holierhoek commented.

As part of the new partnership agreement, Maersk will also assist The Ocean Cleanup in deploying scientific sensor technology aboard Maersk’s own fleet to map plastic floating in the oceans and help the organisation have a better understanding of the severity of the problem they are working to solve.

The goal is to assist The Ocean Cleanup in mapping concentrations of harmful plastic in the world’s oceans to better focus The Ocean Cleanup’s efforts.

“What better way to map the oceans than to harness one of the world’s largest fleets?” added Robin Townley, Head of Special Project Logistics at Maersk.