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A clean ocean

Cross-sectoral marine plastics research conducted as part of the Japan-Palau Goodwill Yacht Race

Period: December 2019 to January 2020 (Phase 1), 2024 (Phase 2)
Organizations: Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC), Promotion of Global Human Resource Development Organization, Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, Ltd., Japan-Palau Goodwill Yacht Race Executive Committee, Yamaha Motor Co., Ltd.

During the Japan-Palau Goodwill Yacht Race, microplastics sampling equipment was installed to one of the participating racing yachts and sail training ship MIRAIE for microplastics sampling. JAMSTEC researcher also boarded MIRAIE to conduct numerous surveys including conventional net sampling with a Neuston net.
Young people and other general public from Republic of Palau were also invited to board MIRAIE. They participated in various educational program such as observing research activities as well as attending onboard seminars to deepen their understanding on ocean environment. First phase of this project was completed successfully in January 2020. Its second phase is scheduled to take place in 2024.

Sail training ship MIRAIE
 
Ocean plastics sampling survey

Microplastics sampler

Reference: Conducting a cross-sectoral marine plastics survey in collaboration with various sectors in the Japan-Palau Goodwill Yacht Race (JAMSTEC、http://www.jamstec.go.jp/spfo/e/)

Large-scale open-ocean survey of microplastics

Period: From 2020
Organizations: Nippon Yusen Kaisha, Chiba Institute of Technology

A network of approximately 750 operating vessels operated by NYK Line will be harnessed to collect samples of microplastics during voyages, which will then undergo analysis by the Chiba Institute of Technology to help produce a map of plastic waste in the oceans of the world with which the size, density distribution, and age of microplastics can be better understood. The aim is to amass big data on microplastics and produce a detailed plastic waste map on a global scale by linking the results of the analysis to sampling times, positional information, and meteorological and oceanographic data. As of today, it is reported that more than 100 samples at 100 locations have been implemented and NYK Line and Chiba Institute of Technology are aiming to extend and deepen the research for the objective of FY2021.

(Courtesy of NYK Line and the Chiba Institute of Technology)
Flow of steps undertaken for the open-ocean survey of microplastics
Reference: Commencing the first large-scale open-ocean survey of the distribution of microplastics to be conducted in the world
(NYK Line, https://www.nyk.com/news/2020/20200306_01.html)