1. Collect
The Mobula 8.2 removes floating waste near river mouths, ports, and stilt villages, where it accumulates.
View photos
Expedition in progressMalaysia, Sabah
Kota Kinabalu
3 years to protect the bay from plastic
Since April 2025, our Mobula 8.2 has been collecting plastic waste in Kota Kinabalu Bay, in the heart of Sabah, Malaysia. A three-year expedition to preserve marine biodiversity and build, with local stakeholders, sustainable solutions against plastic pollution.
Duration
April 2025 to April 2028
Vessel
Mobula 8.2
Local partner
Marine Research Foundation
Area covered
15,375 hectares
On video
Relive the inaugurations of the Mobula 8.2
Two key highlights, in Kuala Lumpur and then in Kota Kinabalu, with our partners and the Malaysian authorities.
Kuala Lumpur, 10.02.2025
Official presentation of the Mobula, with the Malaysian Minister of the Environment
Kota Kinabalu, 07.05.2025
Launch of the Mobula 8.2 with the Kota Kinabalu City Hall (DBKK)
Expedition progress: year 2 of 3
Updated on 14.10.2026
Year 1, completed
04/2025 to 03/2026: 24/7 collection, expert crew, creation of a recycling chain, collaborations with the State of Sabah
Year 2, in progress
04/2026 to 03/2027: Increasing autonomy, accelerating recycling, awareness programme in schools.
Year 3
04/2027 to 04/2028: Progressive handover of the entire project to Marine Research Foundation teams.
Results since launch
18 months of action in the bay
From 03.04.2025 to 30.09.2026
196,522
items of waste removed from the bay, piece by piece
4,496 kg
of waste collected, including approximately 3,500 kg of plastic*
1,378 kg
of plastic recycled by our local partners
849
ecobricks made with the inhabitants of Gaya Island
4,500+
people reached through awareness programmes, including 1,167 students in 5 schools since 07/2026
9
local jobs to sustain the expedition
* Weights measured since 05/2025. In the last quarter (07 to 09/2026), 862 kg collected in 88 days of operation, of which 85.9% was plastic. Next update at the end of the quarter.
Our method
5 zones, 7 days a week collection
The bay is divided into 5 collection zones. Each morning, the crew selects the zone based on weather and tide, and the captain may suspend the outing if safety requires it.
A Northeast of Gaya Island37,2%
C Gaya facing the city, Jesselton Point36,7%
D and E Marine park islands, south coast13,1%
B Sepanggar Port13%
Share of waste collected by zone, year 1. Zones A and C are priorities, especially during the dry season of the southwest monsoon.
From collection to recycling
Giving a second life to recoverable waste, on-site
77.2% of the waste collected is plastic: food packaging, PET bottles, and plastic bags. Instead of the landfill, we are building a local recovery chain with our partners.
2. Sort
The local crew weighs, counts, and sorts each collection by material. This data guides our choice of zones and seasons.
View photos
3. Valorise
Recyclable plastics are turned into pellets. Others become ecobricks: over 61 metres of walkways already built on Gaya Island.
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The plastic recycled each quarter increased from 37 kg in spring 2025 to over 300 kg in early 2026, thanks to new recycling chains.
Our partners on-site
An expedition led by Malaysian stakeholders
Our ambition: that at the end of the 3 years, our partners can continue the mission on their own.
A word from our partner
"We don't just pick up waste: every item recovered teaches us where the pollution comes from, how it circulates, and where to act as a priority."
Chris Chai Chun Xue
Project Manager, Marine Research Foundation
In this video, Chris presents Marine Research Foundation and the work carried out every day with the Mobula in the rivers and bay of Kota Kinabalu.
Marine Research Foundation
Our main partner, with over 20 years of expertise in marine biodiversity in Sabah. They manage the crew on a daily basis.
Kota Kinabalu City Hall
Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed on 09.04.2025 between the city hall (DBKK) and Marine Research Foundation: the Mobula reinforces the city's cleaning boats and its data helps reduce waste at the source.
Read the article in the Borneo Post ↗Meraki Daat
Transforms all plastics into ecobricks with the villages of Gaya Island. Nearly 700 residents trained in sorting.
Local recyclers
Global Plastic Recovery and Prestige Recycle Technics transform our plastics into pellets for industry.
With the support of the Malaysian Ministries of the Environment, Sabah Parks, Gaya Island Resort, the Sabah Recycling Association, Ansell, and the Swiss and French Chambers of Commerce in Malaysia.
News from the field
The expedition journal
10.02.2025
National inauguration in Kuala Lumpur (Port Klang), in the presence of the Malaysian Minister of the Environment.
03.04.2025
First day of collection in Kota Kinabalu Bay.
06/2025
Transition to 24/7 collection and first recycling chains.
03/2026
End of Year 1: 157,934 items of waste removed and 849 ecobricks.
07/2026
Launch of the school programme: 1,167 students reached in 5 schools. In 08/2026, a second qualified captain joins the crew.
Coming soon
Arrival of the BeBot on the beaches, full overhaul of the Mobula in 11/2026, and continuation of the school programme in 5 new schools.
Latest updates
02/2026
2025 review of our action in Malaysia
135,000 pieces of debris removed, teams trained, and 61 metres of walkways built.
Read more
07/2025
+ 53,000 items of waste removed in 3 months
A promising first quarter, 945 kg collected, of which 94% was plastic.
Read more
05/2025
The Mobula 8.2 inaugurated in Kota Kinabalu
Sabah authorities and our partners gathered to launch the expedition.
Read moreNew in Kota Kinabalu
At sea and on beaches: the BeBot joins the Mobula
Part of the waste escapes the sea and washes up on the sand. Starting 12/2026, we are completing the expedition with a beach-cleaning robot and artificial intelligence analysis.
At sea, since 04/2025
Mobula 8.2
Our vessel collects floating waste in the 5 zones of the bay, 7 days a week, with Marine Research Foundation crew.
Designed by our partner EFINOR Sea Cleaner.
Discover the MobulaOn beaches, starting 12/2026
BeBot
A 100% electric robot, powered by batteries and solar panels. It sifts the sand to a depth of 10 cm and cleans up to 3,000 m² per hour, without damaging the beach.
Designed by our partner The Searial Cleaners.
Discover the BeBotArtificial intelligence to measure impact
Before and after each cleaning, a drone flies over the beach. Our partner SCI Drones' artificial intelligence counts and maps the waste: an objective result, comparable from one beach to another.
Support the next expedition
Tomorrow, a new bay in Sabah
We only launch an expedition when it is fully funded: the one in Kota Kinabalu is funded until 2028. With Marine Research Foundation, we are already preparing the next one in another region of Sabah. Your donations today will make it possible.
What your donations are used for
- Construction of the next Mobula and its transport
- The local crew and all costs related to collection for 3 years
- Sorting and recycling of collected waste
- Raising awareness in schools and coastal communities
Our accounts are audited annually by BDO and our reports are publicly accessible.
Our other expeditions
Other places, the same approach
Pilot expedition, completed
Bali, Indonesia
03/2023 to 01/2024, Mobula 8
30,000 kg
of waste collected, including clean-ups
Our first expedition, studied with Udayana University.
Discover the expedition ›
Collection starting 02/2027
Ambon, Indonesia
Mobula 10, with LPMK
948
students already reached
A project part of the Indonesian national programme Sebasah.
Discover the expedition ›Coming soon
Philippines
Our next expedition
Join us!
We are looking for a local partner, support from authorities, and patrons to launch this 3-year expedition.
Discover the expedition ›
