One Earth - One Ocean
One Earth - One Ocean e.V. is a German charitable non-profit founded in 2011 that removes plastic and pollutants from rivers and oceans worldwide using specialized collection vessels (SeeKuh, SeeHamster) and a planned large-scale recycling vessel (SeeElefant). It serves governments, volunteers, and corporate sponsors across at least seven countries.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2011
- HeadquartersGarching, Germany
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What One Earth - One Ocean does
One Earth - One Ocean e.V. (oeoo) is a German charitable non-profit association (eingetragener Verein) founded in 2011 and registered in Munich (VR 203736 München) with tax-exempt status confirmed by Finanzamt München. The organization is dedicated to removing plastic waste, oil, and other pollutants from rivers, coastal waters, and oceans. It pursues this mission through a multi-stage Maritime Waste Disposal system combining water-based collection, land-side waste processing, and on-board recycling.
The operational core is a fleet of purpose-built vessels: the SeeKuh I, a cleaning ship deployed in coastal regions and river mouths that also serves as a diving platform for ghost net recovery; the SeeHamster, a smaller waste collection boat; and the planned SeeElefant, a converted bulk carrier under development with integrated sorting, processing, and recycling facilities designed for an annual capacity of 60,000 tonnes. The SeeElefant incorporates AI-supported sorting technology and, subject to industrial viability, Plastics-to-fuel conversion capabilities. South Pole has confirmed the vessel could generate up to 32,000 voluntary CO2 certificates annually. Complementary offerings include the PURE/Deurex oil cleaning system, a professional diving group for ghost net retrieval, an International Marine Litter Database, and a Microplastic Pollution Map. The organization operates across at least seven countries (Germany, Cambodia, Philippines, Indonesia, Panama, Uganda, Egypt) and runs educational programs including the Kieler Meereshelden initiative with Stadtwerke Kiel and the Ozeanretter school project.
OEOO generates revenue exclusively from donations, membership fees, and corporate sponsorship — it sells no products or services. Corporate sponsors include RÖCHLING, HLAG, DENNER, Daimler, DEUREX, Perkin Elmer, AEG, ClimaClic, Dynnema, Terra Canis, and others. The organization is led by founder and board member Günther Bonin, board member Klaus Lederer, and SeeElefant project lead Dr. Harald Frank, with operational support from microbiologist Dr. Rüdiger Stöhr. Awards include the GreenTec Award (2013), the Bundespreis ecodesign (2019), and finalist status at the Deutscher Nachhaltigkeitspreis Design (2021). The Munich headquarters and Kiel regional office anchor the German operational base, with the first SeeElefant deployment planned for 2027 on a three-year Mediterranean tour.
One Earth - One Ocean firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- One Earth - One Ocean
- Legal name
- ONE EARTH – ONE OCEAN e. V.
- Website
- https://oneearth-oneocean.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2011
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- One Earth - One Ocean e.V. is a German charitable non-profit founded in 2011 that removes plastic and pollutants from rivers and oceans worldwide using specialized collection vessels (SeeKuh, SeeHamster) and a planned large-scale recycling vessel (SeeElefant). It serves governments, volunteers, and corporate sponsors across at least seven countries.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
One Earth - One Ocean industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Marine Environmental Cleanup Services
- NAICS
- Solid Waste Collection (562111), Waste Treatment and Disposal (5622), Remediation Services (562910), Hazardous Waste Collection (562112)
- SIC
- Hazardous Waste Management (4955), Refuse Systems (4953)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Pollution Response & Environmental Salvage (Oil Spill, HAZMAT) (IMAJANAF)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Pollution Control & Environmental Remediation (Booming, Skimming, Shoreline Cleanup) (TLAHAIAH), Wreck Removal & Site Clearance (TLAHAIAB)
Keywords
Where One Earth - One Ocean is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Garching
- HQ country
- Germany
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices4 records
Markets served
One Earth - One Ocean business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Operations, Personnel, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain
Revenue model
- Donations and Membership Fees: OEOO operates as a nonprofit association (e.V.) recognized as charitable and tax-exempt. Revenue comes from annual membership fees and one-time donations from supporters.
- CO2 Certificates: The SeeElefant project is expected to generate up to 32,000 CO2 certificates annually on the voluntary carbon market through South Pole, providing a revenue stream to support operational and maintenance costs.
- Corporate Sponsorship: Various corporate sponsors support the organization financially, including RÖCHLING, HLAG, DENNER, ClimaClic, Dynnema, AEG, DEUREX, Perkin Elmer, Daimler, and others.
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels6 records
One Earth - One Ocean product offering
Product offeringCore offering
One Earth – One Ocean e.V. runs an end-to-end Maritime Waste Disposal (Maritime Müllentsorgung) system that uses a fleet of specialized vessels—SeeKuh (primary collection ship) and SeeHamster (smaller collection boats)—to retrieve plastic, ghost nets, and pollutants from rivers and coastal waters worldwide. The planned SeeElefant is a converted bulk carrier with integrated sorting, processing, and recycling facilities (AI-supported sorting, and ultimately Plastics-to-fuel conversion), targeting 60,000 tonnes of annual capacity and up to 32,000 voluntary CO2 certificates per year via South Pole. The organization also offers oil-cleaning technology (PURE/Deurex), ghost-net recovery via its diving group, a Microplastic Pollution Map, and educational programs for schools and the public.
Product overview
One Earth – One Ocean e.V. is a non-profit environmental organization operating a comprehensive maritime waste disposal system to clean plastic from global waters. The core offering consists of a fleet of specialized garbage collection vessels (SeeKuh as the primary ship, SeeHamster as smaller boats), augmented by the SeeElefant—a converted bulk carrier with integrated processing, sorting, and recycling facilities that serves as a mobile plastic waste valorization platform targeting 60,000 tonnes annual capacity. The system also includes PURE oil cleaning technology, microplastic pollution mapping, a professional diving group for ghost net retrieval, and environmental education programs. The multi-stage approach combines water-based collection with land-side waste processing and recycling, with CO2 certification generating revenue for operations.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- SeeHamster: Specially designed waste collection vessel for river and coastal plastic removal.
- SeeKuh
- SeeElefant
Products and services
- SeeKuh Collection Vessel The primary garbage collection ship in OEOO's maritime waste system; deployed in coastal regions and river mouths and configured as a diving platform for underwater cleanup including ghost-net recovery. Used by OEOO operations teams worldwide.
- SeeHamster Collection Vessel A specially designed garbage collection boat used in OEOO's maritime waste collection operations to retrieve plastic waste from rivers and coastal waters.
- SeeElefant Processing Vessel A converted bulk carrier with integrated processing, sorting, and recycling facilities. Designed as a scalable, mobile system deployable at plastic-pollution hotspots lacking sorting/recycling infrastructure, with AI-supported sorting and (when industrially viable) Plastics-to-fuel conversion. Annual capacity target: 60,000 tonnes.
- PURE Oil Cleaning System Oil cleaning technology (PURE/Deurex) for removing oil contamination from water bodies. Deployed as part of OEOO's pollutant removal operations.
- Maritime Waste Disposal (Maritime Müllentsorgung) Integrated multi-stage concept for eliminating coastal marine plastic pollution: a fleet of specialized collection ships (SeeKuh, SeeHamster) retrieves plastic from waters worldwide; land-based waste processing is complemented by recycling on dedicated vessels like the SeeElefant. Delivered by OEOO globally.
- Microplastic Pollution Map Interactive mapping tool documenting microplastic pollution data, provided for researchers, policymakers, and the public to support awareness and scientific analysis.
- OEOO Diving Group (Tauchergruppe) A trained diving team that conducts underwater searches and salvages ghost nets and debris, primarily from Baltic Sea waters, in support of OEOO's maritime cleanup mission.
- Environmental Education Programs Educational offerings including the 'Kieler Meereshelden' school program with Stadtwerke Kiel, the 'Ozeanretter' (Ocean Rescuers) school project, and public training on plastic pollution, circular economy, and AI-assisted sorting technology, delivered to schools and the general public.
Quantifiable outcome
- SeeElefant can generate up to 32,000 CO2 certificates annually with 60,000 tonnes processing capacity (90% certification-eligible)
Companies that use One Earth - One Ocean
Customer profileNamed customers2 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
One Earth - One Ocean technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
One Earth - One Ocean partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- South PolecoreInternational climate specialist that confirmed the SeeElefant can generate up to 32,000 CO2 certificates annually. South Pole issued a Letter of Intent in November 2025 validating the project's carbon market potential and supporting funding applications.
- Stadtwerke KielcoreMunicipal utility company partnering on the Kieler Meereshelden 2022 educational project for children, combining water protection awareness with municipal services.
- Körber-StiftungminorHosted OEOO presentation at Hamburger Horizonte event in November 2025, providing platform for public education on marine pollution.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights5 records
One Earth - One Ocean competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Oceana: Marine conservation advocacy organization focused on policy reform. Comparable as a large marine NGO brand but does not run operational cleanup, making it adjacent rather than direct.
- Sea Shepherd Conservation Society: Broader marine conservation incumbent that also organizes cleanup expeditions, operates vessels, and runs volunteer programs. Comparable maritime-deployment model but spans a much wider marine-life mission beyond pollution.
- WWF (oceans program): Global environmental incumbent with a large oceans portfolio. Comparable as a marine conservation donor network and policy advocate, though at much larger scale and broader mission.
- Surfrider Foundation: Broader incumbent in coastal/beach cleanup with strong volunteer and education programs. Operates a similar community-led cleanup and education model (e.g., OEOO's Kieler Meereshelden mirror Surfrider's beach captain network).
Direct peers
- Waste Free Oceans: Direct peer that collects marine litter using fishing trawls and partner vessels across EU waters, then channels recovered plastic into recycling. Comparable maritime-collection operations and EU policy focus.
- 4ocean: Direct peer in ocean plastic recovery, funding cleanup through consumer products and donations. Operates a branded model very similar to OEOO's donation/membership revenue mix and runs both coastline and offshore recovery operations.
- The Ocean Cleanup: Direct peer in maritime plastic cleanup. Both organizations develop specialized vessels and systems to remove plastic from rivers and oceans, with similar collection-to-processing value chain and global aspirations.
- Plastic Bank: Direct peer addressing ocean-bound plastic, operating collection networks in coastal developing countries and monetizing recovered plastic as a certified social-impact commodity for corporate buyers.
- Healthy Seas Foundation: Direct peer on ghost net recovery and marine litter cleanup. Uses divers and partner vessels, much like OEOO's Tauchergruppe and SeeKuh operations in the Baltic.
Emerging players
- Project AWARE Foundation: Diving-based nonprofit mobilizing divers worldwide for shoreline and underwater cleanup, with a similar citizen-diver thesis to OEOO's Tauchergruppe. Smaller operational scale, narrow focus on dive community.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
One Earth - One Ocean social profiles
Digital presenceOne Earth - One Ocean compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
One Earth - One Ocean financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
One Earth - One Ocean leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles10 records
One Earth - One Ocean funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
One Earth - One Ocean M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about One Earth - One Ocean
What does One Earth - One Ocean do?
One Earth – One Ocean e.V. runs an end-to-end Maritime Waste Disposal (Maritime Müllentsorgung) system that uses a fleet of specialized vessels—SeeKuh (primary collection ship) and SeeHamster (smaller collection boats)—to retrieve plastic, ghost nets, and pollutants from rivers and coastal waters worldwide. The planned SeeElefant is a converted bulk carrier with integrated sorting, processing, and recycling facilities (AI-supported sorting, and ultimately Plastics-to-fuel conversion), targeting 60,000 tonnes of annual capacity and up to 32,000 voluntary CO2 certificates per year via South Pole. The organization also offers oil-cleaning technology (PURE/Deurex), ghost-net recovery via its diving group, a Microplastic Pollution Map, and educational programs for schools and the public.
Is One Earth - One Ocean a public or private company?
One Earth - One Ocean is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was One Earth - One Ocean founded?
One Earth - One Ocean was founded in 2011. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is One Earth - One Ocean based?
One Earth - One Ocean is headquartered in Garching, Germany, in the Europe region.
How does One Earth - One Ocean make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Donations and Membership Fees are the primary driver. The others are CO2 Certificates and corporate Sponsorship.
Who are One Earth - One Ocean's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Oceana, Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, WWF (oceans program) and Surfrider Foundation. Direct peers are Waste Free Oceans, 4ocean, The Ocean Cleanup, Plastic Bank and Healthy Seas Foundation. Project AWARE Foundation is listed as an emerging player.
Does One Earth - One Ocean have an API?
No public API is recorded for One Earth - One Ocean.
What industry is One Earth - One Ocean in?
One Earth - One Ocean's product category is Marine Environmental Cleanup Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMAJANAF, Pollution Response & Environmental Salvage (Oil Spill, HAZMAT), with a secondary code of TLAHAIAH, Pollution Control & Environmental Remediation (Booming, Skimming, Shoreline Cleanup). Its NAICS code is 562111 and its SIC code is 4955.