Cookie preferences

With cookies, we can make your website experience better. We make use of functional, analytical, and tracking cookies. Thanks to them, we can spot errors and clunky parts in the website, show more relevant advertisements, learn which content is most popular, play videos from YouTube, and more. Some cookies are strictly necessary for using our website, but you can choose to opt out of tracking cookies. Read more about which cookies we use in our privacy policy or via the settings link below.

Follow the cleanup

Subscribe to our mailing list to get the latest news on the cleanup progress. We share updates on plastic catches, research findings, new projects, what we do with the plastic, ways to get involved and much more!

See our privacy policy to learn more about how we store your details.

  • Follow us on Instagram
  • Follow us on Facebook
  • Follow us on Twitter
  • Follow us on Youtube
  • Follow us on Linkedin
  • Follow us on Tiktok

Nice! 🎉

You’re all set. We send a newsletter every month—stay tuned for the next one!

If you don’t get them, check your spam folder or reach out so we can look into it together.

Glad to have you on board!

Skip to content
The Ocean Cleanup
  • Projects
    • Oceans
      Oceans
    • Rivers
      Rivers
    • Other

      • Impact Dashboard
      • Waste Management and Recycling
      • Environmental and Social Impact
      • Goals and Milestones
  • Knowledge
    • Research
      Research
    • Scientific Publications
      Scientific Publications
    • Topics

      • Ocean Plastic Facts
      • The Great Pacific Garbage Patch
      • Top 1000 Polluting Rivers
      • The Price Tag of Plastic Pollution
      • Global Public Affairs
  • Updates
    • Updates
      Updates
    • Podcasts
      Podcasts
    • Featured updates and podcasts

      • 2024: A record-breaking year for The Ocean Cleanup
      • Failure to agree on landmark treaty
      • The Global Plastic Treaty can clean up the past and protect the future
      • Persistent legacy plastic fragments are rising disproportionally faster than larger floating objects in the Great Pacific Garbage Patch
  • Help Clean
    • Donate now
      Donate now
    • Become a Partner
      Become a Partner
    • Other ways to help

      • Fundraise
      • Join the Crew
      • Become a Citizen Scientist
      • Get Merch
  • Careers
    • About us
    • Partners
    • FAQ
    • Contact
    • Press info
    • Media Gallery
  • Donate now
Donate now

Updates

  • All updates
  • General
  • Oceans
  • Rivers
  • Research
  • Recycling
  • Environment
  • Global affairs
  • Team
  • Discussion
Oceans

Pacific Trials – The Gateway to the Great Pacific Garbage Patch

Following the successful launch from the San Francisco Bay, System 001 traveled 350 nautical miles to commence the Pacific Trials. The trials will last approximately two weeks and are a…

19 September 2018
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA, September 8, 2018 – The Ocean Cleanup Deploying System 001 into the Great Pacific Garbage Patch - Photo: Pierre AUGIER for The OCEAN CLEANUP
Oceans

System 001 has launched into the Pacific

After 5 years of research, engineering and testing, we launched the world’s first ocean cleanup system from San Francisco Bay, marking the start of the cleanup. The system is now…

9 September 2018
Oceans

System 001 Assembly Completed

After six months of assembly, we can now announce that System 001 is officially complete. It is currently positioned entirely in the Seaplane Lagoon – the sheltered body of water…

1 September 2018
Discussion, General

A Peculiar Survey

The following post you are about to read is a lengthy but necessary one. Generally, at The Ocean Cleanup, we avoid speaking out against criticism. We welcome all thoughtful critique…

17 August 2018 Boyan Slat
Environment, Research

Environmental Impact Assessment Available

With the thorough analysis performed by independent environmental consultancy CSA Ocean Sciences now complete, The Ocean Cleanup has issued the results of the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) for System 001.…

23 July 2018
Engineering, Oceans

The Final Design of the World’s First Cleanup System

On May 11th, 2017 we unveiled our new method to clean up the world's ocean garbage patches. Instead of having one massive cleanup system fixed to the seabed, we unveiled…

21 July 2018 Boyan Slat
In May 2018, a 120-meter section of the system successfully passed a tow test in the Pacific Ocean, being subjected to waves of up to 5 meters.
Engineering, Oceans

Successful Tow Test Validates System 001 Seaworthiness

On May 19th, from our assembly yard in Alameda, a 120-meter section of our cleanup system was towed out of San Francisco Bay and into the Pacific to conduct a…

2 July 2018 Arjen Tjallema
State secretary Stientje van Veldhoven and Boyan Slat, signing an agreement
General, Global affairs

The Dutch State to support The Ocean Cleanup’s high seas activities

Today, we entered into an agreement with the Netherlands relating to the deployment of our cleanup systems on the high seas. The agreement deals with matters such as safety of…

8 June 2018
Oceans

System 001 Tow Test Explained

We have successfully initiated our 120-meter tow test unit towards its designated test pattern approximately 50 nautical miles outside of San Francisco’s Golden Gate. This is an important test before…

19 May 2018
Engineering, Oceans

System 001 Assembly: 120-meter Tow Test Unit Completed

To meet our ambitious goals of deploying the first ocean cleanup system this summer, we are reminded of one of our basic design principles here at The Ocean Cleanup: doing…

11 May 2018
  1. Previous page
  2. 1
  3. …
  4. 7
  5. 8
  6. 9
  7. 10
  8. 11
  9. 12
  10. 13
  11. 14
  12. 15
  13. 16
  14. Next page

Follow us

  • Follow us on Instagram
  • Follow us on Facebook
  • Follow us on Twitter
  • Follow us on Youtube
  • Follow us on Linkedin
  • Follow us on Tiktok

Newsletter

Nice! 🎉

You’re all set. We send a newsletter every month—stay tuned for the next one!

If you don’t get them, check your spam folder or reach out so we can look into it together.

Glad to have you on board!

Projects and Updates
  • Oceans
  • Rivers
  • Impact Dashboard
  • Waste Management
  • Global Public Affairs
  • Research
  • Milestones
  • Updates
  • Podcasts
About us
  • About
  • Careers
  • Press
  • Media gallery
  • Partners and funders
  • Suppliers
Help
  • Donate now
  • Fundraise
  • Become a partner
  • Merchandise
  • Citizen Science
  • FAQ
  • Contact
Legal
  • Privacy and Cookie Notice
  • Disclaimer
  • Donation Terms & Conditions
  • Third Party Code of Conduct
  • Foundation Details
  • American Friends of The Ocean Cleanup

© 2025 The Ocean Cleanup. All rights reserved. THE OCEAN CLEANUP trademarks are registered trademarks, pending registration, or protected under common law, and owned by The Ocean Cleanup Technologies B.V.

4263