Azimut|Benetti Group and Ogyre sign a partnership aimed at collecting and subsequently recovering plastic from the seas in three continents. The collaboration also includes the start of a feasibility study in preparation for the opening of a new marine waste collection hub in Tuscany.
Azimut|Benetti Group, the world’s largest motor yacht manufacturer, has signed an agreement with Ogyre, the platform for the recovery of plastic waste from the sea.
The partnership includes the collection of 18,000 pounds of plastic from the seas in 2025 through the work of local fishing communities; at the same time, the two partners will jointly launch a feasibility study for the opening of a new hub in Tuscany where Ogyre will be able to operate in the collection of marine waste, involving institutions and the community and thus spreading a greater culture of respect for the environment.
Azimut|Benetti Group is the first player in the nautical sector to support Ogyre’s campaigns, staying true its commitment to sustainability. For over twenty years, the Group has led yachting in the development and implementation of solutions to reduce the CO2 emissions of yachts, achieving the best results in the industry. Now, a growing awareness of plastic waste in the seas has pushed the company to sign this partnership to contribute in a concrete way to the cleaning and protection of ocean ecosystems.
Born in Italy, this project aims to protect the oceans on a global level. The waste collection will be concentrated in three countries: Italy, Brazil and Indonesia, symbols of the profound relationship between man and the natural ecosystem and which, for various reasons, are seriously impacted by pollution. In particular, Italy overlooks the Mediterranean, a semi-closed sea that is thus more vulnerable to plastic accumulation. Brazil and Indonesia, on the other hand, face a critical situation linked to the presence of highly contaminated rivers, which transport large quantities of waste to the sea, seriously compromising the ecosystem.
Through its business, Ogyre collaborates with local fishing communities, providing them with equipment, logistical support, training and financial compensation to carry out the Fishing for Litter activity. This operating model not only promotes the protection of the oceans, but also places fishermen at the center of positive change. Involving them also means generating concrete social benefits and new income opportunities, strengthening the resilience of coastal communities, which are often exposed to economic and environmental challenges.
Direct collaboration with fishermen and Ogyre’s blockchain-based platform ensure complete traceability of the waste collected, which is then sent to be recycled, helping to create a circular and sustainable system.
In this way, Ogyre’s activity promotes sustainable growth beyond protecting the sea, also offering support to those who live and work in close contact with it, demonstrating how the environment and local communities can thrive together.
In conjunction with the Fishing for Litter activity, the collaboration between the Azimut|Benetti Group and Ogyre includes the launch of a feasibility study for the opening of a new marine waste collection hub in Tuscany – an important region for the Group and home to two of its Italian production sites. The hub, located between Livorno and Viareggio, will actively involve local fishermen, creating sustainable economic opportunities and strengthening the company’s bond with the territory. At the same time, it will be committed to the conservation of a sea that presents alarming data: the Mediterranean.
According to the WWF report “Out of the Plastic Trap: Saving the Mediterranean from Plastic Pollution” (2018), with 1.25 million microplastics per square kilometer, the Mediterranean hosts a density of microplastics four times higher than that of the famous Pacific plastic island. Furthermore, plastic makes up 95% of the waste present in the Mediterranean, both in the open sea and along the coasts. In particular, the stretch of sea by Tuscany is a sensitive area, where sea currents gather plastic waste, fed by the mouths of the Arno, Tiber and Sarno rivers.
The initiative thus contributes to the achievement of several United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, including:
- SDG 6: Improve water quality and sustainable management of water resources.
- SDG 12: Promote sustainable waste management and pollution reduction.
- SDG 13: Reduce the effects of climate change through concrete actions.
- SDG 14: Protect marine biodiversity and ocean ecosystems.
- SDG 8: Support local fishermen by creating sustainable economic opportunities.
- SDG 17: Demonstrate the potential of public-private partnerships for positive global impact.
Giovanna Vitelli, Chair of Azimut|Benetti Group, explains, “For over twenty years, the Group’s commitment to greater environmental sustainability has been concrete, measurable and driven by the desire to adopt innovative solutions to make a difference “here and now”. Ogyre has chosen the same approach. Through this partnership, we can expand our contribution, extending it from the construction of low-emission yachts to the removal of plastic waste from the seas.”
“Ogyre was born with the mission of reducing marine pollution in collaboration with those who live at sea every day. The partnership with Azimut|Benetti Group allows us to expand our impact and demonstrate how the dialogue between technology, local communities and companies can really make a difference”, comments Antonio Augeri, Co-Founder and CEO of Ogyre.
