ATCF, Ocean Cleanup Launch €1.5M Thane Creek Project

AT Capital Foundation Limited (ATCF), the social impact arm of the AT Capital Group, announced on Monday a five-year partnership with The Ocean Cleanup. As part of the agreement, ATCF will invest €1,500,000 in a major cleanup project targeting one of the tributaries of Thane Creek, Mumbai.

The company said that this vital initiative aims to tackle plastic pollution and help restore one of Asia’s largest creeks, which is also a designated Key Biodiversity Area. The project is expected to intercept approximately 385 tonnes of waste annually.

The project will deploy a combination of The Ocean Cleanup Interceptor solutions with a walkable log-boom for plastic interception and additional Interceptor Guard booms for improved waste retainment. Extraction will employ a Direct-to-Shore conveyor system. All collected waste will be responsibly managed in collaboration with the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation.

Thane Creek is also home to Maharashtra’s second-largest marine sanctuary. It plays a crucial role in supporting diverse wildlife, including thriving mangrove ecosystems and numerous waterbird species. The Thane Creek Cleanup Project aims to restore this vital natural habitat and protect its ecological integrity for future generations.

Speaking about the initiative, Arvind Tiku, Founder of AT Capital Group, said, “We are thrilled to be part of this long-term conservation project to revitalise Thane Creek. This partnership reflects our global mission to support environmental, health, and education programs. With The Ocean Cleanup, we’re taking real action to protect Mumbai’s natural beauty and biodiversity.”

The Ocean Cleanup, founded by Boyan Slat in 2013, is a global non-profit organisation with a mission to rid the world’s oceans of plastic. Their “30 Cities Program” aims to cut off up to one-third of plastic entering oceans via rivers — and Mumbai is a key city in that vision.

According to Nisha Bakker, Director of Partnerships at The Ocean Cleanup, “AT Capital’s support is pivotal in supporting our work in Mumbai. Their commitment and shared values enable us to start the implementation of solutions to make concrete progress toward a cleaner, healthier future for our oceans, rivers, biodiversity and communities.”

Beyond the removal of plastic, this initiative also seeks to support local communities, particularly the indigenous Koli fishermen, through environmental education, livelihood restoration, and capacity-building programmes.

AT Capital's India-based company, Experion Developers, will oversee its own programme management of the cleanup project. By joining hands, AT Capital Foundation and The Ocean Cleanup are working to clean up plastic waste from Thane Creek, which is part of a larger effort to restore marine ecosystems.