Monday August 22nd, 2016, we set sail for Norway, on the very first By the Ocean we Unite sailing expedition for cleaner oceans. Together with filmmakers, scientists and impactmakers from around the globe we conduct scientific research, increase global awareness and activate people, organizations and governments to work on solutions for our global plastic problem.

Checkout this page for details on our scientific research, pictures, videos, collaborations, visits and all you need to know about the expedition.

Did you know that The United Nations has designated 2017 as the International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development?

”My invitation to you: join these guys on one of their expeditions, it’s an awesome experience!” – Anoûl Hendriks, former DJ @ Radio 3FM

We made it to the front page of Metro, the free Dutch newspaper, that is daily being read by more than a million readers! Read the article here!

Read our press release about the expedition as published in among others Duiken Magazine (Diving Magazine) (Dutch)

During the expedition, we assisted research projects from a range of institutes and universities. We used a neuston net to sample free floating sea surface plastics to determine their abundance per sea surface area, we collected sediment samples around a water treatment facility investigate the quantity of plastics possibly being released into sea by the facility, and we caught fish in Norwegian waters for Uni Research to analyze the intestines.

We visited Uni Research, part of Bergen University, where a symposium was organized upon our arrival with leading scientists working on plastic pollution. Further up north we were invited to a day of fieldwork with (marine) biology students, where our research coordinator, Nanne, gave a lecture to over a hundred students. We also visited IRIS (Int. Research Institute of Stavanger)  to exchange knowledge and prepare our contribution to their research around the local water treatment facility. In Stavanger we were invited by the international school, where Nanne & Thomas gave 5 lectures to 5 different groups of students.

Plastic pollution is a global problem which we believe we can only solve by working together and helping where possible. Therefore we created the PIFF: Pay-It-Forward-Fund. It works as following: startups working on reducing plastic pollution can get in touch with us to explain their concept – sometimes we pick organizations we come across. During the expedition we’ll discuss three or four concepts with the expedition members. All ideas, network and suggestions are forwarded to the organization after the expedition. Also we take part of the participation fee and put it in a fund, of which the expedition members themselves eventually decide which organization(s) they will support financially.