The Ocean Race is supporting Team Nexans – Art et Fenêtres (II) in the collection of vital ocean data during the Transat Jacques Vabre, which sets sail this weekend from Le Havre in Normandy.
Following The Ocean Race 2022-23, in which over four million pieces of data were gathered, the round-the-world regatta is providing an OceanPack to the French-flagged team for the race to Martinique.
The OceanPack is a specialised instrument with multiple sensors that measure a range of data about the ocean to provide crucial insights into the health of the marine environment.
The equipment works by drawing up water through the hull and into the instrument, where it measures oxygen, carbon dioxide, salinity, water temperature and atmospheric pressure. It operates automatically and continuously, taking around 25,000 measurements a day.
Stefan Raimund, ocean science advisor at The Ocean Race said: “This year’s unprecedented ocean temperatures have set off alarm bells across the world. The more data that scientists have about temperatures and other essential ocean variables, the more accurately we can understand the ocean’s capacity to cope with climate change and predict what will happen to the climate in future.
“We’re pleased to have joined forces with Team Nexans – Art et Fenêtres (II), to continue contributing to this important research. Between editions of The Ocean Race, we will provide scientific equipment and support to teams, organisations and expeditions who share our desire to drive action for the ocean.”
The OceanPack is a specialised instrument with multiple sensors that measure a range of types of data about the ocean | Credit: Cherie Bridges/The Ocean Race
Team Nexans – Art et Fenêtres (II), which is skippered by Fabrice Amedeo and co-skipper Andreas Baden, has been involved in the collection of scientific data since 2019. Fabrice lost his boat — and his scientific instruments — in heavy seas during the last Route Du Rhum and is now competing again with a new boat.
Amedeo said: “The return to the open sea and racing is synonymous with the redeployment of my oceanographic project, thanks to the installation of The Ocean Race’s OceanPack. This sensor measures CO2, salinity and ocean temperature, enabling scientists to better understand the consequences of global warming on the ocean. I am happy to provide the scientific community with such important data.”
The data gathered by the team, on the race to the Caribbean and the return journey back to France, will be analysed by The Ocean Race’s science partners: GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel (Germany), Ifremer (France) and CNRS (Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique) (France). These organisations will use the data as part of their research on the impact of climate change on the marine environment and to inform predictions about how the ocean will respond to climate change in future.
The Ocean Race’s science programme is part of the Racing with Purpose sustainability programme, which was created with premier partner 11th Hour Racing. The race is the only team sport in the world that requires all participants to take part in the collection of vital ocean data. Earlier this year The Ocean Race launched a dedicated data visualisation platform for exploring the data at theoceanracescience.com.
