The Mobula 8 moored at the Benoa marina in Bali on the evening of its inauguration

Expedition completedIndonesia, Bali

Bali, the expedition that started it all

From 03/2023 to 01/2024, our first Mobula sailed through Benoa Bay: approximately 30,000 kg of waste removed throughout the expedition (including collection at sea in ports, rivers, and mangroves, as well as clean-ups). A first field mission that proved our model and laid the foundations for all our expeditions.

Support our expeditions Read the scientific study (PDF)View photos

Duration

March 2023 to January 2024

Vessel

Mobula 8

Scientific partner

Udayana University

Area

Benoa Bay

The results

10 months that proved our model

A pilot expedition, conducted with Indonesian authorities, the local community, and researchers.

30,000 kg

of waste collected throughout the expedition, including clean-ups

monitored sites: ports, river, canal, mangroves

3,840

items of waste analysed one by one by scientists

83%

of soft plastic: sachets, packaging, bags

The findings

The Island of the Gods facing plastic

Less than half of Bali's waste is properly managed. Every day, the island's rivers carry approximately 33,000 kg of plastic to the sea, especially during the rainy season.

With 16 million visitors per year, tourism has a heavy impact: a visitor produces 3.5 times more waste per day than a resident.
The good news is that 87% of Balinese people say they are ready to sort their waste.

Source: Udayana University and The SeaCleaners study, 2024.

Offering baskets and plastic waste piled up in a landfill in Bali

Plastic bottle and cups floating among seagrass

Plastic bags scattered under coconut trees near a landfill

Bali, Indonesia. © The SeaCleaners

SCIENCE AND ANALYSIS

A first study of Benoa Bay

From 06/2023 to 03/2024, researchers from the CReSOS centre at Udayana University analysed waste collected by the Mobula at 7 sites. This is the first study of floating macroplastics in the bay.

Ports concentrate waste

The fishing port and the port canal come first, ahead of the river and the Serangan mangroves.

Rivers during the rainy season

In 12/2023 and 01/2024, rivers mainly brought in thin plastic bags.

Everyday packaging

Snack packaging, water bottles, instant drinks, and noodles: sachets are the most frequent form.

What we found

Share of each type of waste, out of 3,840 items analysed

Soft plastic83%

Hard plastic13%

Straps, rubber, foam, and miscellaneous4%

86% of the waste was whole, 14% in fragments: intercepting early prevents them from turning into microplastics.

Read the full study (PDF)

Map of Benoa Bay with the 7 study sites, from L1 Serangan to L7 West Benoa Port — The 7 study sites: Serangan, Rangda River, around the port, port canal, south port, off Benoa, and west port. Map: Udayana University and The SeaCleaners, 2024.

What Bali taught us

A pilot expedition
Lessons for all those to follow

In full transparency, Bali also showed us what needed to be improved.
These lessons are now being applied in Kota Kinabalu and Ambon.

A strong local partner

A single team with our partners on site, shared objectives, and regular monitoring from day one.

Bottles sorted into bamboo baskets at a recycling center

Sorting and recovering on site

Building local recycling channels from the start, so that collection doesn't end up in a landfill.

A crew member weighs a bag of collected waste

A common method

Weighing, counting, and sorting each collection in the same way to compare our sites and measure our progress.

03/2023
First collections of the Mobula 8 in Benoa Bay.
06/2023
Start of the scientific study with Udayana University.
07/2023
Record month: 861 whole items of waste analysed.
01/2024
End of the expedition, approximately 30,000 kg collected in total, including clean-ups.
2026
Return to Bali for the Bali Ocean Days.

Bali, Indonesia, 2023 to 2024Bali, the pioneering expedition of the Mobula 8Collect. Understand. Transmit.

Mission report

The full results of the expedition, in complete transparency

Collection, scientific study with Udayana University, awareness raising, local partners, and lessons learned: our 13-page retrospective report traces the expedition that founded our approach.

Mission report (PDF)In French Mission report (PDF)In English

In pictures

Bali, from landfill to recycling

Livestock in the middle of the Gili landfill

World Water Day in Bali, bags filled by hand

See all photos from Bali

Support our expeditions

Bali paved the way, now it's your turn to write the rest

We only launch an expedition once it is fully funded. After Kota Kinabalu and Ambon, we are preparing the next one in the Philippines. Your donations today will make it possible.

What your donations are used for