VICTORIA, Seychelles — The Plastic Odyssey, a unique ambassador vessel for a three-year global expedition aimed at reducing plastic waste and promoting sustainable solutions, docked in Victoria on May 29 and will remain in Seychelles until June 13, 2025, as part of its 15-day stopover in the Indian Ocean region. A national conference was held yesterday morning at the Escale Resort & Spa to mark the occasion, bringing together government officials, scientists, and non-governmental organisations.
The conference was the first major activity of the ‘Expedition Plastic Indian Ocean’ (ExPLOI) project, a regional campaign launched by the Indian Ocean Commission (IOC) in partnership with Plastic Odyssey. Participants discussed the growing threat of plastic pollution and the concrete solutions needed to address it. Ralph Agrippine, permanent liaison officer of the IOC, highlighted the urgency of the issue, particularly for small island nations like Seychelles that depend heavily on the ocean.
“Marine plastic pollution has become an environmental and health resource that we small island developing states that depend so much on the ocean can no longer ignore,” he said, welcoming the project as a major step in the right direction. The ExPLOI project aims to reduce marine plastic pollution through concrete and structuring actions, including awareness-raising for the public, media, decision-makers, and the private sector, training, and support for public policies. The ship’s crew will work with local communities and waste management operators during its stay in Seychelles.
