Trimaran sails into city to highlight plastic pollution
Print Edition
A SWISS trimaran on a round-the-world voyage aimed at raising awareness about plastic pollution in the oceans has docked at Shanghai, its only stop in China.
Trimaran “Race for Water Odyssey” with her crew of six berthed at the International Cruise Terminal Station in Hongkou District on Wednesday evening, her 13th stop on a 300-day journey which started from French city Bordeaux on March 15.
The crew will stay in Shanghai for two weeks, meeting with experts from the city water affairs department and local students, and forming relationships with institutes and organizations.
Plastic waste has accumulated in immense whirlpools, creating five gigantic heaps of debris called trash vortexes.
“The objective of this expedition is to conduct the first global assessment of plastic pollution in the oceans by visiting island beaches situated by the five trash vortexes,” said Marco Simeoni, chairman of the Race for Water Foundation, and organizer of the voyage.
Swiss entrepreneur Simeoni is also serving as one of the crew.
“We chose Shanghai as a stop because it’s an important Asian metropolis close to the sea,” said Simeoni.
“The objective of the trip is to educate industries, legislators and the general public, by raising awareness of the crucial issues of ocean conservation.”
The team said 250 million tonnes of plastic is produced globally every year, and 10 percent ends up in the oceans.
“Not many people are aware of the severe plastic pollution situation in oceans. After fragmentation, the plastic waste is ingested by ocean creatures like fish or birds, and eventually harms human beings,” Simeoni said.
China’s marine environment, particularly its coral reefs off the south of the country, have been hit by plastic pollution.
“Coral resources of provinces like Hainan and Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region have been badly damag ed by the pollution,” said Liu Yonglong, chairman of Shanghai Rendu Ocean NPO Development Center.
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