One Earth - One Ocean

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.

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

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

• Marine plastic cleanup
• Maritime waste collection
• Ghost net recovery
• Ocean conservation non-profit
• Plastic recycling vessels

Headquarters

HQ city

Garching

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. 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

Core 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)

Named customers2 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• South PolecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 12 November 2025International 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 KielcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMunicipal utility company partnering on the Kieler Meereshelden 2022 educational project for children, combining water protection awareness with municipal services.
• Körber-StiftungminorGTM or Marketing PartnerHosted 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

Broad 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

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC2eSBwy7dyRq8bvZJcu9WNg
• Facebookfacebook.com/oeoo.world
• Instagraminstagram.com/oneearthoneocean
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/one-earth-one-ocean

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about One Earth - One Ocean