UD Trucks partners with Arabian Ocean Rowing Team for historic transatlantic journey

• With a boat a little bigger than a car, the Arabian Ocean Rowing Team will row 5,000km across the Atlantic Ocean in 50 days
• The row is in partnership with the UN Environment Programme’s ‘Clean Seas’ initiative to raise awareness about environmental sustainability  

UD Trucks has announced a partnership with the Arabian Ocean Rowing Team ahead of the group's 5,000-kilometre row across the Atlantic Ocean from La Gomera to Antigua in the Caribbean. Forming part of the UN Environment Programme's 'Clean Seas' initiative, the row is being undertaken to raise awareness of environmental sustainability and plastic pollution.

The UAE-based team will begin its journey Monday, 16th December 2022, aiming to become the first boat from the region to row unassisted across the Atlantic Ocean. UD Trucks is linking up with the Arabian Ocean Rowing Team as its support partner, reflecting the company's passion for innovation and its focus on tackling challenges, and as part of the brand’s corporate social responsibility initiatives, which promote innovation and focus on sustainable transport solutions. 

The Arabian Ocean Rowing Team’s boat is approximately the same size as a car, and the team will be completely on their own once out on the ocean - carrying food, medical equipment, navigational aids, and survival gear.  During the 50-day crossing, the three rowers will rotate between shifts of two hours on, and two hours off, while solar panels power the electrics and desalinated water is provided by a small device on the boat.

Mourad Hedna, UD Trucks Middle East, East & North Africa President, commented: “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 so many common core values with this initiative, for example, a commitment to Ultimate Dependability, a focus on excelling with the essentials, and that 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 encourage students and university students to push their boundaries and have the courage 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 partnership between the Arabian Ocean Rowing Team and UD Trucks will also see them working together to introduce various activities and initiatives at local schools and universities to educate younger generations about climate change impact – the crew will be conducting experiments designed by scientists and students on their expedition and reporting their findings during their voyage with live updates.