Ocean Crusaders

What Ocean Crusaders does

Ocean Crusaders Foundation Ltd is a registered Australian nonprofit (ABN 58613403231) founded in 2010 by Ian Thomson following his record-breaking solo circumnavigation of Australia. The organization specializes in removing debris from waterways before it reaches the ocean, operating what it describes as Australia's premier professional waterway cleaning team. Its core service portfolio includes intensive waterway cleanups, beach and island cleanups, and the Paddle Against Plastic community paddling events, supported by a fleet of boats, landing barges, kayaks, and purpose-built equipment such as the Automatic River Cleaner (ARC), drone-based debris monitoring, and the Cleaning Station System — community-accessible cabinets that enable local cleanups while collecting data.

Beyond physical cleanup, Ocean Crusaders operates the Debris Registry, a certified data-tracking platform that documents every load of debris removed and provides third-party verifiable impact data for government and corporate funders. Programs such as Island Guardians (Great Barrier Reef cruising community engagement), OC Racing (sailing and Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race participation), and an international Plastic in the Pacific Crusade extending to Fiji, Sweden, Ecuador/Galapagos, and Papua New Guinea broaden its surface area. Educational outputs include school presentations, games, and puzzles aimed at children.

The business model is nonprofit philanthropy: tax-deductible individual donations (starting at approximately $5, one-off or recurring), corporate sponsorships and in-kind equipment partnerships, government and council grants (e.g., Redland City Council, Brisbane City Council, Sunshine Coast Council, Bundaberg Regional Council, Port of Melbourne), and merchandise sales through an Eco Store on Freewebstore. Revenue figures are not publicly disclosed. The organization is founder-led, has approximately 11 employees, and operates from offices in Belmont (HQ), Hemmant (operations workshop), and Cannonvale, Whitsundays.

Name

Ocean Crusaders

Legal name

OCEAN CRUSADERS FOUNDATION LTD

Website

https://oceancrusaders.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2010

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Ocean Crusaders is an Australian nonprofit founded in 2010 that runs professional waterway and ocean cleanup programs across Australia and the Pacific, serving local councils, corporate partners, and community volunteers with certified debris removal data and proprietary cleanup technology.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Marine and Waterway Environmental Cleanup Services

SIC

Sanitary Services (4950)

akta.pro primary industry

Pollution Control & Environmental Remediation (Booming, Skimming, Shoreline Cleanup) (TLAHAIAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Marine & Coastal Remediation (Shoreline/Port Spill Cleanup) (IMAIAGAI), Environmental, Waste & Emissions Control Systems (Wastewater, VOC Capture, Spill Response) (IMAJALAK)

Keywords

• Marine debris removal
• Waterway cleanup services
• Beach cleanup programs
• Environmental charity australia
• Plastic pollution cleanup

Headquarters

HQ city

Belmont

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Tax-Deductible Donations: Individual donors contribute one-off or recurring donations (as little as $5) to support the organization's fleet of boats and vehicles used for large-scale cleanups. All donations are tax-deductible in Australia (ABN 58613403231).
2. Corporate Partnerships & Sponsorships: Companies sponsor specific cleanup events, programs, or provide in-kind equipment (boats, kayaks, gear). Sponsors receive brand visibility and association with environmental credentials.
3. Government Grants: Funded by government bodies such as Redland City Council Community Conservation grants and other federal/state environmental programs for specific cleanup projects.
4. Eco Store Merchandise: Sale of eco-friendly merchandise (shirts, bags, and other items) through a third-party webstore platform.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Ocean Crusaders delivers professional waterway and coastal cleanup services across Australia, removing polystyrene, single-use plastics, aluminum cans and other debris from rivers, beaches and islands before they reach the ocean. The organization operates a fleet of specialized boats, kayaks and barges, deploys proprietary technology (Automatic River Cleaner, drones, Cleaning Station cabinets) and certifies every removal through its Debris Registry for government, corporate and community clients.

Product overview

Ocean Crusaders is a nonprofit environmental organization operating as a single unified offering rather than a platform architecture. Their portfolio centers on ocean and waterway cleanup programs augmented by technology solutions. The core services include Waterway Clean Up, Beach/Island Clean Ups, and the Paddle Against Plastic program for community engagement. These are supported by three key technology products: the Automatic River Cleaner (ARC) for automated debris collection, Drone monitoring systems for surveying, and the Cleaning Station System for community-based cleanups with data collection. Additional offerings include the Island Guardians program for Great Barrier Reef protection, OC Racing for awareness through sailing, the Debris Registry for certified cleanup data, an Eco Store for merchandise, and educational Games/Puzzles for children. The organization functions as Australia’s Premier Waterway Cleaning Team with professional equipment including a fleet of boats.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• OC Racing: Sailing and racing program within Ocean Crusaders, including participation in events like Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race.

Products and services

• Waterway Clean Up Professional waterway and river cleanup services utilizing specialized boats and equipment to remove debris from rivers and waterways before it reaches the ocean; delivered to government, corporate and community clients.
• Beach / Island Clean Ups Community-organized beach and island cleanup events that remove plastic and debris from shorelines and coastal areas.
• Paddle Against Plastic Paddle-based cleanup event series where community members use kayaks and paddle craft to collect debris from waterways and mangroves.
• Automatic River Cleaner (ARC) Automated river cleaning technology system that continuously collects debris from waterways, deployed as part of Ocean Crusaders' Innovation & Technology Solutions program.
• Drone Drone technology used for surveying and monitoring debris accumulation in waterways and coastal areas to identify cleanup hotspots.
• Cleaning Station System Community-accessible cleaning station cabinets that enable local communities to conduct cleanups, provide educational content and collect debris data for environmental research.
• Island Guardians Program that engages the cruising community to protect and clean Great Barrier Reef islands, delivered through Flotilla events and GBR cleanup operations.
• OC Racing Sailing and yacht racing program that combines competitive sailing with ocean cleanup awareness, including participation in events like the Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race.
• Debris Registry Certified debris removal database that tracks and certifies every load of debris removed, providing transparency, accountability and third-party-verified removal data for cleanup operations.
• Eco Store Online store selling environmentally-themed merchandise including shirts, bags and other items that support ocean protection.

Quantifiable outcome

• 55 tonne of debris removed in 2018 alone, up from 21 tonne in 2017, with 2,230 people participating in cleanup events
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and supporting.

• Pelli BagscoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 20 May 2025Pelli Bags is the title sponsor of the 2025 Clean-Up Flotilla, a sailing event from Shaw to Smith Islands in the Great Barrier Reef region scheduled for August 2025.
• Doyle SailscoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 26 April 2024Doyle Sails, a global sail manufacturer deeply connected to the sailing community, partnered with Ocean Crusaders to support ocean protection. As sailors, Doyle Sails employees are directly connected to the oceans and view it as their playground and sanctuary. This partnership leverages the sailing community's passion for ocean health.
• UnitywatermajorGTM or Marketing PartnerUnitywater, a water utility on the Sunshine Coast, is an ongoing sponsor of the Paddle Against Plastic campaign, supporting community cleanup events.
• Aquayak KayaksmajorOthersAquayak Kayaks provided kayaks for Ocean Crusaders' Yarra River event and subsequently provided a full fleet of kayaks for Brisbane operations, with a new fleet being prepared for Melbourne.
• CressisupportingOthersCressi, a dive gear manufacturer, sponsors Ocean Crusaders' diving adventures, enabling the team to capture footage for the online education program.
• Academy Bay Dive CentersupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerAcademy Bay Dive Center in Santa Cruz, Galapagos provided diving services and organized island activities for Ocean Crusaders during the Plastic in the Pacific Crusade, while also supporting the campaign's mission.
• Suez AustraliasupportingOthersSuez Australia supplied a 12 cubic meter skip bin for the Cabbage Tree Creek Paddle Against Plastic community cleanup event.
• Spinnaker Sound MarinasupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerSponsored the Cabbage Tree Creek Paddle Against Plastic event in the Deagon Region of Brisbane.
• Cleanwater GroupsupportingOthersCleanwater Group approached Ocean Crusaders and provided their vacuum equipment (nicknamed Snuffleupagus) for the Yarra River cleanup, which was featured on ABC's War on Waste.
• Tangaroa BluemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOcean Crusaders strengthened its relationship with Tangaroa Blue, who run the Australian Marine Debris Initiative Database. Ocean Crusaders helps with cleanup events like the Orpheus Island Clean Up and uploads its debris data to the database for source reduction planning.
• Keen Footwear AustraliasupportingOthersKeen Footwear Australia provides footwear support for the Ocean Crusaders team during cleanup operations.
• Gill MarinesupportingOthersGill Marine provides marine clothing and gear to support Ocean Crusaders' operations.
• Barz OpticssupportingOthersBarz Optics provides sunglasses for the Ocean Crusaders team.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Conservation International: Global environmental nonprofit with ocean and island ecosystem programs. Comparable brand-led marine conservation focus and access to corporate ESG partnerships, but at much broader scope and significantly larger scale.
• WWF-Australia: Large established environmental nonprofit with marine conservation programs including reef protection. Operates broadly across environmental issues rather than specializing in waterway cleanup; relevant as a competing recipient of corporate ESG and government funding.

Emerging players

• Plastic Bank: Social enterprise that stops ocean plastic by incentivizing collection in coastal communities and selling recovered plastic as credits to corporates. Comparable mission and corporate ESG partnership model, but with a recovery-for-resale model rather than donation-funded cleanup.

Direct peers

• The Ocean Cleanup: Nonprofit focused on removing plastic from oceans and rivers using proprietary interceptor technology. Directly comparable mission (marine plastic removal) and a similar blend of technology, community engagement, and donor funding, but operating at significantly larger global scale.
• Surfrider Foundation: Global nonprofit dedicated to the protection of oceans and beaches via cleanups, advocacy, and education. Highly comparable volunteer-driven beach cleanup program and brand-led environmental mission, though with much larger scale and US-centric footprint.
• 4ocean: For-purpose ocean cleanup company funding operations through consumer memberships and merchandise. Closely mirrors Ocean Crusaders' donation/merchandise-driven revenue model and volunteer-staffed cleanup crews, while operating primarily in the US and Indonesia.
• Tangaroa Blue Foundation: Australian nonprofit running the Australian Marine Debris Initiative Database and organizing community cleanups. Direct peer in mission, geography, and marine debris data collection; already a strategic partner of Ocean Crusaders.
• Take 3 for the Sea: Australian nonprofit focused on reducing plastic pollution through education and beach cleanups. Comparable community-driven coastal cleanup model, Australian footprint, and education-first positioning.
• Seabin: Develops and sells floating debris-capture devices for marinas and waterways. Comparable focus on intercepting debris before it reaches the ocean and on waterway cleanup technology, with a more productized/commercial go-to-market.

Regional players

• Clean Ocean Foundation: Australian nonprofit focused on marine debris, beach cleanups, and education. Comparable Australian coastal cleanup mission and community-volunteer model, though with less emphasis on proprietary technology and certified data.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/SOSoceanracing
• Facebookfacebook.com/OceanCrusaders
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ocean-crusaders
• Instagraminstagram.com/oceancrusaders

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 Ocean Crusaders