Kota Kinabalu: A Hub for Marine Conservation
Protecting One of Southeast Asia’s Richest Marine Ecosystems
March 2025 – March 2028
Kota Kinabalu, the capital of Sabah in Northwest Borneo, is a gateway to some of the world’s most breathtaking natural landscapes, including the Tunku Abdul Rahman Marine Park, Kinabalu National Park (a UNESCO World Heritage Site), and vast mangrove ecosystems. This region is home to extraordinary marine biodiversity, including endangered sea turtles, coral reefs, and vital mangrove habitats that sustain juvenile fish and marine life.
However, plastic pollution poses a growing threat. Waste from rivers, coastal communities, and tourism-related activities accumulates in estuaries, reefs, and sensitive marine zones, endangering marine species and affecting the livelihoods of local fishing communities. With 81% of Malaysia’s plastic waste mismanaged and not recycled, the lack of efficient waste management infrastructure makes intervention urgent and necessary.
A Three-Year Mission
The deployment of the Mobula 8.2 in Kota Kinabalu Bay aims to combat plastic pollution while ensuring the long-term protection of marine ecosystems. Operating in shallow tidal waters (average depth: 21m) with mixed coral reef zones, this mission will serve as a scalable model for plastic waste interception in Southeast Asia.
Key Objectives
1’000 tonnes of plastic waste collected, sorted, and recycled over three years.
Scientific research conducted to analyze pollution sources and inform solutions.
Extensive awareness campaigns in schools, universities, businesses, and among the general public to drive long-term behavioral change.
A Collaborative Effort
This initiative is made possible through partnerships with local authorities, Malaysia’s federal and state environment ministries, the Swiss-Malaysian and Franco-Malaysian Chambers of Commerce and Industry, and the Marine Research Foundation—a leading organization with 20 years of expertise in marine biodiversity conservation.
News and updates
2025 Review of Our Action in Malaysia
02.2026
The Mobula 8.2 turned 135,000 pieces of marine debris into community assets in Kota Kinabalu. This coastal cleanup vessel collected 2 tons of waste, trained local teams, and transformed 630 kg of plastic into 61 meters of walkways. Proof that intercepting pollution close to source delivers measurable impact.
Read moreA Strong Start in Kota Kinabalu
07.2025
In three months in Kota Kinabalu, Mobula 8.2 collected more than 53,000 pieces of plastic waste. Between rough seas, teams to reinforce and partnerships to establish, the challenge now is to transform this collection into a genuine local recycling circuit.
Read more