S'pore stopover for vessel on 3-year quest to stop ocean plastic pollution

French NGO behind ship showcasing tech that converts plastics into useful materials

- Ariel Yu

A unique research vessel that embarked on a three-year expedition around the world in October 2022, with the ambition to stop plastic pollution in the oceans, has arrived in Singapore.

Mooring here on Aug 26, Plastic Odyssey is on a mission to identify, document and disseminate low-cost and easily replicable plastic recycling solutions.

The French non-governmental organisation (NGO) behind the ship, a former oceanographic research vessel, advocates plastic recycling by showcasing its technology that converts discarded plastics into useful materials.

Plastic Odyssey travels to places that are most affected by plastic pollution to create a global network of recycling entrepreneurs, promote sustainable practices, and reduce plastic pollution at its source.

The ship's arrival in Singapore comes ahead of a major meeting in South Korea from Nov 25 to Dec 1, in which countries are expected to come up with a legally binding treaty to end plastic pollution.

At the UN Environment Assembly in March 2022, 175 countries agreed to develop a global treaty on plastic pollution by 2024 that could be implemented as soon as 2025.

Negotiators have already met four times, and it is expected that the final negotiations for the treaty will be concluded at the Busan meeting later in the year.