Maritime Association for Clean Seas launches to coordinate industry action on ocean plastic pollution

A group of global shipping companies has partnered with Seven Clean Seas (SCS) to establish the Maritime Association for Clean Seas (MACS), a new industry alliance focused on reducing plastic leakage and improving waste management across the maritime value chain.

MACS brings together founding members including Berge Bulk, X-Press Feeders, Bernhard Schulte Shipmanagement (BSM) and Britoil Offshore Services, representing operators from bulk shipping and feeder services to offshore support and ship management.

Ocean plastic risks and the maritime sector’s role

Although the maritime industry contributes only a small portion of the estimated 14 million tonnes of plastic entering the oceans each year, incidents such as lost cargo and inconsistent waste-handling practices can lead to significant environmental harm. Plastics such as pellets, films and lightweight packaging are particularly prone to dispersion.

With global trade heavily dependent on the ocean—carrying about 90% of world cargo and providing livelihoods for over 2 million seafarers—industry groups argue that strengthened waste practices are essential to protecting marine environments.

Alignment with global frameworks

MACS is designed to complement the IMO’s Plastic Marine Litter Action Plan and responds to rising expectations for coordinated environmental action across the maritime sector. The initiative aims to reduce plastic use, improve transparency and encourage best-practice adoption across companies of varying sizes.

The alliance builds on SCS’s ongoing work in developing certified plastic recovery projects in heavily affected coastal regions. These initiatives combine material recovery with community employment and local impact.

Focus areas for 2026

MACS will initially centre its efforts on three areas aligned with the IMO’s 2030 objectives:

• Sustainable procurement and material-use practices
• Measurement and reduction of vessel-generated waste
• Improvements in port waste-reception systems

These measures support SCS’s broader 2030 target to recover 100 million kilograms of plastic and positively impact 200,000 people.

Industry statements

“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.”

Michael Blanding, Head of Sustainability & Communications at Berge Bulk, said: “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. 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.”

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.”

Florent Kirchhoff, CEO of Britoil Offshore Services, noted: “Our work begins and ends with the sea, and with that comes a responsibility to protect it. 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.”

Elena Pantazidou, HR Director & Board Member of BSM, said: “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.”

Looking ahead MACS aims to establish measurable and collaborative pathways for waste reduction while encouraging wider industry participation. Its organisers say the initiative is intended to create shared frameworks that can be applied across global operations, with the goal of limiting plastic leakage at both sea and shore.