UD Trucks has established a partnership with the Arabian Ocean Rowing Team in advance of the team’s 5,000-kilometer row from La Gomera to Antigua in the Caribbean across the Atlantic Ocean. The row, a component of the UNEP’s “Clean Seas” project, aims to increase public awareness of environmental sustainability and plastic litter.
The UAE-based crew will set off on their adventure on Monday, December 16th, 2022, to be the first vessel from the area to row across the Atlantic Ocean without assistance. As a part of the company’s corporate social responsibility initiatives, which promote innovation and focus on sustainable transport solutions, UD Trucks is joining forces with the Arabian Ocean Rowing Team as its support partner. This partnership reflects the company’s passion for innovation and its focus on overcoming challenges.
The boat of the Arabian Water Rowing Team is about the size of a vehicle, and once on the ocean, the crew will be entirely on their own, carrying food, medical supplies, tools for navigation, and survival gear. The three rowers will alternate between two hours on and two hours off over the 50-day trip, with solar panels powering the boat’s electrics and a tiny gadget on board providing desalinated water.
Mourad Hedna, UD Trucks Middle East, East & North Africa President, comments, “The Arabian Ocean Rowing Team exemplifies a genuine and meaningful commitment towards becoming more sustainable, which also forms part of our commitment to a Better Life, the company’s mission to make a positive impact on people and the environment by improving human development without damaging the planet. UD Trucks shares many common core values with this initiative, such as a commitment to Ultimate Dependability, a focus on excelling with the essentials, and the desire to go the extra mile. As part of this partnership, together with the team, we aim to raise awareness around green energy and sustainable development, balancing economic growth and environmental sustainability.”
Through this project, the UAE-based team has worked with schools and communities to inspire students and university students – to push their boundaries and dare to achieve their dreams. In the past six months, over 19,400 students in three countries – the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom and Spain – have visited the boat or participated in the project, which raises awareness about environmental sustainability, clean energy sources and combat plastic pollution, particularly single-use plastics.
The Arabian Ocean Rowing Team and UD Trucks are collaborating to promote numerous events and projects at nearby schools and institutions to inform the next generation about the effects of climate change. On their excursion, the group will carry out tests created by scientists and students, and they will report their results while travelling with live updates.