Simrad Yachting has set up the bridge of the research vessel Plastic Odyssey, as part of a 4-year partnership to support an expedition around the world, to address the problem of plastic pollution in the oceans of our planet .
The partnership was announced last year, but due to a one-year delay due to the pandemic and technical issues, the vessel has shifted the departure celebrations to fall 2022, with an expected circumnavigation duration of three years.
“We are thrilled to support Plastic Odyssey’s mission and expedition by fully equipping the vessel’s deck with the latest in radar and navigation technology,” says James Metven, Global Head of Brand, Simrad Yachting. “The refit of the boat in the last year is just the beginning. We can’t wait to share this exciting adventure of the Plastic Odyssey team, helping them to navigate safely and on the right route and, at the same time, follow the journey on our digital platforms with updates and content“.
From waste to building materials and fuel
Plastic Odyssey’s goal is to tackle the problem of plastic pollution on a global scale by traveling to low- and middle-income countries, where coastal cities have accumulated huge quantities of plastic, in the hope of using these areas as micro-factories, able to transforming plastic waste into building materials and fuel, thanks to low-tech and easily transferable technologies.
Plastic Odyssey’s goal is to achieve a plastic-free future also through the development of various social science awareness, education and research programs.
“The refit of the Plastic Odyssey boat is almost finished after more than 2 years of hard work,” said Simon Bernard, Founder and CEO of Plastic Odyssey. “The helm station and its electronic components have been updated with state-of-the-art Simrad® products and we are not only thrilled but also very confident about these systems, which are essential for a boat that is preparing to circumnavigate the world for 3 years“.
In July, the vessel will head to Marseille, France, to prepare for the departure of the expedition with a full program of events planned for the end of September, including multimedia activities, boat christening and official departure from the Old Port of Marseille on October 1st.
In addition to providing Plastic Odyssey with the latest in electronics and navigation technology, Simrad® expert technicians were available to train Plastic Odyssey researchers and commanders.
