HSBC Clean Waterways Programme

Did you know that there are over 5 trillion pieces of plastic floating in our oceans?¹ The microplastic levels in Hong Kong’s waterways are particularly worrying – as high as 5,500 pieces per square metre, which is 40% higher than the international average.²

The HSBC Clean Waterways Programme is helping to address that.

We’ve partnered with the Clean Waterways Initiative, a non-profit organisation which has designed four zero-emission, solar-powered boats - each capable of collecting and sorting more than 2,500 litres of floating plastic per load. The boats are running every day in Victoria and Aberdeen Harbour to clean up waste, helping to protect over 6,000 local marine species.³

What’s more, we’re running a series of community education and volunteer programmes to help address and raise awareness of the plastic waste issue.

Because when it comes to protecting Hong Kong’s waterways, we all have a role to play.

Episode Three : Making a Difference

Our solar-powered boats are collecting thousands of plastic bottles and aluminium cans for recycling – but that’s just the beginning. See how we’re working with the community to educate the next generation and spark lasting change.

Episode Two: Building the Future

As the team starts building the first solar-powered boat, see the challenges they face and how they overcome them along the way. Find out how HSBC has been supporting the project to turn their vision into action.

Episode One: Turning the Page

In the first episode of our documentary series, find out in five minutes how this initiative came to life, and learn more about the plastic waste problem in Hong Kong and the design of these unique boats.

It’s a traditional practice to give ships unique names which reflect their character or purpose, and our four solar-powered boats are no exception. HSBC colleagues took care to name the fleet, giving each boat a special meaning.