Skipper Jo Royle and expedition leader David de Rothschild step off the gangway upon their arrival to Sydney. The four-month journey was aime at raising awareness of the plastic – “the human fingerprint”, says David – in the ocean.

The boat will be moored at the Australian National Maritime Museum in Sydney during August.

Expedition leader of the Plastiki, David de Rothschild, who has traversed Antarctica and trekked to both the North and South Poles, sits inside the compact cabin of the recyclable catamaran.

The Plastiki makes its way under the Sydney Harbour bridge. The vessel, made from 12,500 recycled PET bottles, was sailed in the name of environment. The crew, including banking heir David de Rothschild, wanted to bring attention to the issue of plastic in the ocean.

The crew had on board sets of solar panels and a wind turbine to provide power and a dynamo – an exercise bike that the crew used to keep fit and generate electricity.

The boat will be moored at the Australian National Maritime Museum in Sydney during August.

Skipper Jo Royle inside the compact cabin of the Plastiki, which six of the crew shared. As the only female on board, Jo said that, while everyone got on well during the four-month expedition, she was “looking forward to a glass of wine and giggles with the girls”.

A few of the 12,500 recycled plastic bottles that make up the Plastiki. These bottles provided two-thirds of the buoyancy of the vessel. The frame is made of a material developed especially for the expedition – a fully recyclable composite called Seretex that’s a possible replacement for fibreglass. The team also used organic glue made from cashew nuts, sugar cane and coconut husks.

The boat will be moored for public viewing at the Australian National Maritime Museum in Sydney during August and then turned into a global exhibit.

The Plastiki makes its way past the Opera House in Sydney. The vessel, made from 12,500 recycled PET bottles, was sailed in the name of environment. To make the catamaran sea-worthy, said expedition leader David de Rothschild, they needed to develop a new type of plastic for the frame – which is fully recyclable and a possible replacement for fibreglass. The team also used organic glue made from cashew nuts, sugar cane and coconut husks.

The boat will be moored for public viewing at the Australian National Maritime Museum in Sydney during August and then turned into a global exhibit.

An underwater shot of the Plastiki, with some of the 12,500 recycled bottles visible. The uneven surface of the bottles made for challenging sailing, said skipper Jo Royle, the only female on the expedition.

The catamaran was designed by renowned Australian naval architect Andrew Dovell.

Expedition leader, David de Rothschild waves to well-wishers from the Plastiki as it makes its way into Sydney Harbour. The vessel, made from 12,500 recycled PET bottles, was sailed in the name of environment.

The boat will be moored for public viewing at the Australian National Maritime Museum in Sydney during August and then turned into a global exhibit.

The Plastiki makes its way under the Sydney Harbour bridge. The vessel, made from 12,500 recycled PET bottles, was sailed in the name of environment. The crew, including banking heir David de Rothschild, wanted to bring attention to the issue of plastic in the ocean.

The boat will be moored at the Australian National Maritime Museum in Sydney during August.