Marine debris shipping container stolen from Māʻalaea Harbor

A vital marine conservation asset used by Pacific Whale Foundation, Sharkastics, and the Center for Marine Debris Research was stolen from Māʻalaea Harbor early Friday morning, dealing a serious blow to ongoing marine debris removal and recycling efforts across Maui and Oʻahu.

The stolen 20-foot off-white 2024 shipping container served as a collection hub for large-scale marine debris removed from Maui’s beaches and nearshore waters. It was last seen on Friday, Aug. 29. The public is urged to report any information to the Maui Police Department at 808-875-8190, referencing police report #25025446. 

“This container was critical to our island-wide marine debris removal strategy,” said Susan Frett, Programs Director at Pacific Whale Foundation. “Its theft not only delays our efforts but threatens the long-term health of Maui’s reefs and coastlines.”

Once full, the container was being shipped to CMDR at Hawai‘i Pacific University on O‘ahu. The container, which was purchased and delivered in September 2024, was sent twice to Oʻahu in 2025, shipping a total of 21,000 pounds of marine debris. There, debris is analyzed for source identification and sorted for recycling, keeping harmful plastics out of Maui’s landfill system.

This cross-island partnership prevents thousands of pounds of plastic from returning to the ocean or being landfilled, contributing instead to research, policy advocacy and prevention innovation, according to organization leaders.

“Losing this container undermines a system designed to reduce plastic pollution at scale,” said Dr. Jennifer Lynch, Co-Director of the Center for Marine Debris Research. “We urge the public to assist in any way possible—whether with information, resources, or donations. This further exacerbates funding challenges CMDR has been facing throughout this year. We must find dedicated funding to be able to continue this important partnership effort.”

This initiative has also benefited from the leadership of Sharkastics, a community-based marine debris removal project that coordinates with volunteers and researchers to monitor, remove, and document marine debris across Maui.

“This is a heartbreaking setback for the entire marine debris community,” said Cheryl King, Founder of Sharkastics. “We rely on infrastructure like this container to keep the momentum going. Our teams work hard to keep debris off beaches and out of the ocean, this loss affects all of us.”

These partners are part of a broader effort: the Hawaiʻi Marine Debris Action Plan working group, sponsored by NOAA. Marine debris organizations across Hawaiʻi work together to advance prevention, removal and research to create long term success and ultimately reduce the threat of marine debris.

Those without information about the theft can still support ongoing recovery and prevention efforts.

Tax-deductible donations can be made to any of the collaborating partners below: 

• Pacific Whale Foundation: www.pacificwhale.org/donate
• Sharkastics: www.sharkastics.org
• Center for Marine Debris Research at Hawai‘i Pacific University: www.hpu.edu/cncs/cmdr/support.html

Each organization plays a vital role in the removal, research, and prevention of marine debris. Donations will help recover from this loss and strengthen Hawaiʻi’s ability to protect marine life and coastlines.