Hyundai Motor and Healthy Seas Celebrate Five Years of Global Ocean Conservation and Education Leadership

• Hyundai Motor's work with Healthy Seas has removed 320 tons of marine litter, including abandoned fishing nets from 'ghost farm1' operations and other plastics

• Suitable recovered nets are recycled into new products, such as floormats for Hyundai's IONIQ 5, IONIQ 6, IONIQ 9, INSTER, SANTA FE and NEXO in Europe

• Hyundai Motor pledges continued commitment to sustainability, promoting a circular economy, and community-driven initiatives

Hyundai Motor Company is celebrating the fifth anniversary of its partnership with the Healthy Seas, a nonprofit foundation dedicated to removing marine litter and restoring ocean ecosystems.

What is the Mission of the Hyundai x Healthy Seas Partnership?

Healthy Seas works to protect marine ecosystems by removing discarded fishing nets and other harmful marine debris. Since the partnership began in 2021, the initiative has expanded globally, spanning Europe, Korea, and the United States.

'We are proud to mark five years of achievements with Healthy Seas and remain deeply committed to this meaningful collaboration. Together, we are not only restoring ecosystems but also educating and inspiring communities worldwide to build a more sustainable future.' – Dongchul Hwang, Vice President and Head of Future Business & Sustainability Group at Hyundai Motor Company.

What are the Achievements of Hyundai's Partnership with Healthy Seas?

Hyundai Motor's partnership with Healthy Seas has removed 320 tons of marine litter across 10 countries. The 'ghost farm' operations, exclusively supported by the company, reclaimed underwater habitats by removing abandoned aquaculture sites. These facilities become environmental hazards as they release debris, plastic and pollutants into the surrounding waters, disrupting marine ecosystems and harming marine life.

Efforts have focused on cleanup operations, including shoreside and deep-sea dives, which recover marine waste to deliver benefits for biodiversity and local communities. This waste is sorted, and suitable recovered fishing nets are sent to Aquafil2, where they are regenerated into ECONYL® yarn alongside other discarded nylon materials. This thread is used to create more eco-conscious products, such as car floormats used in European versions of Hyundai Motor vehicles, including:

• IONIQ 5

• IONIQ 6

• IONIQ 9

• INSTER

• SANTA FE

• NEXO

How Does Hyundai's Healthy Seas Partnership Help Environmental Education?

Aligned with Hyundai Motor's Creating Shared Value (CSV) strategy, education of future generations plays a key role in the Healthy Seas partnership. More than 4,861 participants worldwide have engaged in the program's workshops, interactive activities, and virtual reality (VR) experiences.

Hyundai Motor has expanded its collaboration with Healthy Seas, working with the Technical University of Munich (TUM) to host an environmental education program featuring the 'SVan', a mobile robotics lab built into a Hyundai STARIA. This initiative allowed students and teachers to explore marine conservation solutions and learn how technology can contribute, particularly through robots developed by TUM.

What are the Key Milestones of Hyundai's Partnership with Healthy Seas?

The Hyundai x Healthy Seas partnership continues to evolve, growing its global reach and impactful initiatives. Key milestones of the collaboration so far include:

• 2021 – Launched the partnership across seven European countries; conducted the first-ever cleanup of an abandoned fish farm in Ithaca, Greece.

• 2022 – Returned to Ithaca for a large-scale cleanup; expanded activities to Korea; introduced the first education events in partnership with Tate in the UK.

• 2023 – Introduced activities in the U.S.; conducted the first cleanup at UNESCO World Heritage Lake Ohrid.

• 2024 – Cleaned up three further abandoned fish farms in Greece; launched university-level education on ghost farms.

• 2025 – Featured the partnership at the Ocean Conference and recognized it in a virtual session of the UN Ocean Conference.

'Over these five years, our partnership with Hyundai has become a holistic model of ocean stewardship — combining large-scale cleanup operations, circular innovation, collaboration with fishing communities, and education for future generations. This partnership shows what is possible when industry and environmental organizations work together: practical results today and meaningful change for the future of our seas.' – Veronika Mikos, Director of Healthy Seas.

How will Hyundai and Healthy Seas Continue Their Commitment to Sustainability?

The partnership is deeply rooted in Hyundai Motor's 'Progress for Humanity' vision and aligned with its Creating Shared Value (CSV) strategy, whose three pillars 'Earth', 'Hope', and 'Mobility' guide numerous initiatives. The first two pillars play a key role in the work with Healthy Seas, creating direct environmental impact and providing educational activities that bring hope to new generations.

Hyundai Motor's partnership with Healthy Seas reflects its dedication to addressing global challenges through innovative solutions under its CSV pillars. By integrating marine conservation with community empowerment, the company reinforces its commitment to preserving ecosystems.

Photo credit: Hyundai
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