ADPC, ADMA-OPCO Organise Waste-Collection-Campaign

Abu Dhabi Ports Company (ADPC) and Abu Dhabi Marine Operating Company (ADMA-OPCO) will be running its second waste-collection-campaign from 23 – 24 April, in partnership with various government organizations and several entities from the private sector.

ADMA-OPCO waste collection

More than 300 certified advanced divers and volunteers are expected to take part in the campaign entitled “Dive Together To Protect Our Marine Environment”. The divers will be collecting waste on Wednesday, 23 April, from the seabed next to Abu Dhabi’s Free Port, the New Free Port, the nearby Fisherman’s Port,  Zayed Port and DAS Island.

Parallel to the diving activities, the Center of Waste Management (CWM) Abu Dhabi will be running an environmental awareness campaign, specifically addressed to fishermen. The campaign will include information in Arabic, English and Urdu, and will give the fishermen tips and ideas of how to deal with marine waste and keep Abu Dhabi’s ports clean.

In addition, the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC), will demonstrate in a real-life scenario what actions should be taken in case of an oil spill.

Furthermore, all participants and visitors are invited to an exhibition which will showcase the success story of the previous “Dive Together”-campaign. The exhibition will also present the company profiles of all present organizations and explain their contribution towards the environment, “green” policies and commitments.

Besides helping to keep Abu Dhabi waters clean, the “Dive Together”- campaign aims to create a general awareness of the increasing quantity of marine debris in oceans world-wide.

Most marine debris (80%) comes from debris in urban runoff, from construction, ports and marinas, commercial and industrial facilities, as well as from rubbish blown out of containers, trucks, and landfills. Ocean-based sources, such as overboard discharges from ships and discharged fishing gear, account for the other 20%.

“ADPC takes its role as a responsible corporate citizen very seriously and we continuously work to protect our environment and create awareness of environment-related issues through various campaigns and initiatives,” says Capt. Mohamed Juma Al Shamisi, CEO, ADPC. “This is the second time we have organized this campaign and, again, we are very pleased to have the support and participation of our sponsors, partners and all of the volunteers.”  

Alongside representatives from ADMA-OPCO, numerous other representatives from high profile organizations will be present on 23 April, such as Abu Dhabi Gas Liquefaction Company Ltd. (ADGAS), Abu Dhabi Police, Abu Dhabi City Municipality, and the Environment Agency Abu Dhabi (EAD).

Commenting on the environmental campaign, Ali Rashid Al Jarwan, Chief Executive Officer, ADMA-OPCO, said: “Protection of the environment in general and the marine ecology in particular is everyone’s responsibility. We, at ADMA-OPCO, pay special attention to conservation of the marine environment where we carry out our daily operations.”

“We are proud of our human resources and our teams who work hand in hand with other teams from the public and private sectors,” he said, adding that ADMA-OPCO is ready to support any initiative that aims at keeping our environment clean.”

“We are proud to be part of this campaign, which aims to raise awareness on the importance of protecting the marine environment. The campaign comes in line with ADGAS’s established strategy of preserving the marine environment as reflected in the company’s campaigns on Das Island. Such initiatives have also been organized by ADGAS to clean Abu Dhabi’s beaches and islands,” says, Mr. Fahim Kazim, ADGAS CEO.

Press Release, April 22, 2014; Image: ADPC