Pioneering efforts to combat ocean plastic pollution have brought together key players in the shipping industry with the formation of the Maritime Association for Clean Seas (MACS).
This newly established industry alliance aims to achieve tangible reductions in plastic and operational waste. Founded by the ocean impact organisation Seven Clean Seas (SCS), MACS includes founding members like Berge Bulk and X-Press Feeders, representing various facets of the global maritime value chain.
Pressure on oceans from global trade
Oceans, responsible for transporting approximately 90% of global trade, support the livelihoods
Oceans, responsible for transporting approximately 90% of global trade, support the livelihoods of over two million seafarers worldwide. However, they face significant challenges with an estimated 14 million tonnes of plastic polluting marine ecosystems annually.
Although the maritime sector is a minor contributor to this pollution, even isolated mishaps such as cargo losses or improper waste handling can lead to serious environmental repercussions, particularly involving plastic pellets, films, and light packaging.
Unified front for maritime sustainability
MACS is taking cues from the International Maritime Organization’s (IMO) Plastic Marine Litter Action Plan, addressing the increasing call for collective, industry-wide initiatives to tackle plastic waste.
The coalition aims to reduce plastic use, promote best practices, and inspire other sectors with greater plastic footprints to follow suit.
Measurable impact through collaboration
MACS concentrates on large-scale ocean plastic recovery and waste minimisation across the maritime
Building on SCS's successful efforts in reducing plastic pollution at its sources, MACS concentrates on large-scale ocean plastic recovery and waste minimisation across the maritime value chain.
Its initial targets for 2026 encompass sustainable procurement and material use, vessel waste reduction, and enhanced portside waste reception facilities.
Alignment with the IMO’s 2030 Action Plan
The activities of MACS align with the IMO’s 2030 Action Plan and support SCS’s ambitious goals of reclaiming 100 million kilograms of plastic and positively impacting 200,000 lives by 2030, demonstrating the power of focused collaboration to instigate systemic changes.
"Seven Clean Seas has always believed in collective action as the most powerful lever for change," stated Tom Peacock-Nazil, Founder & Chairman of MACS.
Maritime pioneers driving change
The founding members of MACS, including Berge Bulk, BSM, X-Press Feeders, and Britoil
The founding members of MACS, including Berge Bulk, Bernhard Schulte Shipmanagement (BSM), X-Press Feeders, and Britoil Offshore Services, showcase a broad representation of the maritime sector.
"At Berge Bulk, the oceans are at the heart of our business, so we have always felt an obligation to protect them," offered Michael Blanding, Head of Sustainability & Communications at Berge Bulk.
Commitment to a sustainable future
Francis Goh of X-Press Feeders said, "Joining MACS is a natural extension of our sustainability journey, addressing the waste and plastic challenges facing our environment."
Likewise, Britoil Offshore Services’ CEO, Florent Kirchhoff, emphasised the company’s dedication to responsible operations as part of MACS. Bernhard Schulte Shipmanagement’s HR Director Elena Pantazidou added, "Safeguarding our oceans is not just a responsibility but a commitment to future generations."
MACS invites further participation from those within the maritime community eager to take an active role in forging a cleaner, sustainable pathway for the industry and the global ecosystems it depends on.
Pioneering shipping companies are joining forces to combat ocean plastic pollution through the launch of the Maritime Association for Clean Seas (MACS): a new industry alliance driving measurable reductions in plastic and operational waste at scale.
Founded by Seven Clean Seas (SCS), an ocean impact organisation, MACS unites founding members, including Berge Bulk, X-Press Feeders, and others from across the global maritime value chain.
Oceans underpin global trade and face mounting plastic challenges
Oceans carry around 90% of global trade and provide livelihoods for more than 2 million seafarers worldwide. Yet they face unprecedented pressure, with 14 million tonnes of plastic entering and damaging marine ecosystems every year.
While the maritime sector contributes only a small fraction of this pollution, even isolated cargo losses or poor waste handling on board or quayside can have serious consequences which could be prevented, especially with plastic pellets, films and light packaging.
By advancing best practices, innovation, and collaboration across the value chain, the industry can play a pivotal role in reducing plastic leakage and protecting the very waters it relies on.
A pivotal moment for maritime sustainability
MACS builds on the IMO’s established Plastic Marine Litter Action Plan and responds to the growing global sentiment for coordinated, industry-wide action on plastic pollution.
As scrutiny around environmental and community impact intensifies, MACS creates a unified front for maritime players to reduce plastic use, share best practices, and inspire change across adjacent sectors with even larger plastic footprints.
Collective action for measurable impact
MACS builds on SCS’s track record of tackling plastic pollution at its source. Operating in some of the world’s most polluted coastal regions, SCS develops holistic certified recovery projects that not only recover ocean plastic but also deliver fair employment and community impact on the ground.
The Association brings maritime leaders together to tackle two core objectives of ocean plastic recovery at scale and waste reduction across the maritime value chain, with the initial focus for 2026 on three key areas:
- Sustainable procurement and material use;
- Vessel waste measurement and reduction;
- And improved portside waste reception.
IMO’s 2030 Action Plan
These efforts align directly with the IMO’s 2030 Action Plan. It also marks a key milestone in SCS’ mission to recover 100,000,000 kilograms of plastic and improve 200,000 lives by 2030, proving how targeted collaboration can drive systemic change and inspire far-reaching environmental progress.
“Seven Clean Seas has always believed in collective action as the most powerful lever for change,” said Tom Peacock-Nazil, Founder & Chairman of MACS. “With MACS, we’re providing the maritime industry with the tools it needs to make measurable progress against plastic pollution. Not in isolation, but together.”
Driving systemic change through collaboration
Founding members Berge Bulk, Bernhard Schulte Shipmanagement (BSM), X-Press Feeders, and Britoil Offshore Services represent a cross-section of the global maritime sector, from bulk carriers and ship management to offshore operations. Their participation reflects a shared commitment to operational excellence, environmental leadership, and data transparency.
“At Berge Bulk, the oceans are at the heart of our business, so we have always felt an obligation to protect them and a responsibility to keep them clean,” said Michael Blanding, Head of Sustainability & Communications. “Our long-standing work with SCS has already delivered tangible results, and through MACS, we’re proud to help lead a united industry response that can achieve change at scale.”
Improvements across the maritime ecosystem
Francis Goh, Chief Operating Officer of X-Press Feeders, added, “As a global shipping company, we recognise the responsibility we have to safeguard the oceans that sustain global trade."
"Our collaboration with SCS goes back several years and joining MACS is a natural extension of our sustainability journey which goes beyond reducing emissions to also address the waste and plastic challenges facing our shared environment. Together with our peers, we can make practical, lasting improvements across the maritime ecosystem.”
Advance responsible operations
“Our work begins and ends with the sea, and with that comes a responsibility to protect it,” said Florent Kirchhoff, Chief Executive Officer of Britoil Offshore Services.
“Through this partnership with MACS, Britoil aims to advance responsible operations through collaboration, reflecting our shared care for the oceans and the ingenuity that drives us to find solutions for a better future.”
Future for the maritime industry
Elena Pantazidou, HR Director & Board Member of Bernhard Schulte Shipmanagement, commented, “At Bernhard Schulte Shipmanagement, we believe that safeguarding our oceans is not just a responsibility but a commitment to future generations. Joining forces as a founding member of the Maritime Association for Clean Seas reflects our dedication to driving sustainable practices across the maritime industry.”
MACS welcomes members who wish to play an active role in shaping a cleaner, more sustainable future for the maritime industry and the oceans that sustain it.
