Royal support for One Ocean Expedition

Statsraad Lehmkuhl - global ambitions with One Ocean Expedition and Kongsberg Discovery © Kongsberg Discovery

His Royal Highness Crown Prince Haakon of Norway has agreed to become a goodwill ambassador for Statsraad Lehmkuhl's next major expedition, the One Ocean Expedition 2025-2026.

The One Ocean Expedition is a voyage around the world by the Norwegian tall ship Statsraad Lehmkuhl. KONGSBERG, one of the main partners, supports the trip and will equip the ship with state-of-the-art technology from Kongsberg Discovery, transforming it into a floating training vessel.

A royal with a passion for the ocean

The expedition's goal is to create awareness and share knowledge about the essential role of the ocean in sustainable development worldwide. His Royal Highness is passionate about preserving life in the ocean and hopes that the One Ocean Expedition 2025-2026 will contribute to a significant international commitment to improving the ocean's health.

"Human life and the future of the planet depend on us taking care of the ocean. I hope the One Ocean Expedition 2025-2026 will contribute to a major international commitment to improving the ocean's health," says Crown Prince Haakon.

Haakon Vatle, expedition leader, and CEO of the Statsraad Lehmkuhl Foundation, expresses his gratitude towards Crown Prince Haakon, stating that his support is a strong motivator for their work and helps them spread their message to a global audience.

Sailing for a sustainable ocean

The One Ocean Expedition, which is a recognized part of the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development, will visit 20 different ports in Europe, the USA, Central, and South America.

The 98-meter-long ship is a floating university and training vessel combined, bringing students, scientists, trainees, and professionals together on different legs. Everyone onboard works together to sail the ship and gain experience and knowledge about the ocean and each other. During port visits, the ship is used for conferences, diplomacy, high-level meetings, and corporate hospitality.

Activity plans

The One Ocean Expedition sets sail from Bergen in April 2025. There will be different activities scheduled at some of the ports where the tall ship arrives. A working group within Kongsberg Discovery has started planning some initial ideas. Martin Wien Fjell, President, Kongsberg Discovery, is looking forward to being part of the next voyage.

"Common challenges such as climate change and ocean acidification affect all parts of the ocean. That is why the idea of traversing the global 'One Ocean' with a vessel that invites and demands participants to work together, seemed like a fitting way to showcase the essence of the sustainability challenge and the role of the ocean in overall global sustainability," he says.

Equipped like a modern research vessel

During the first global One Ocean Expedition, 2021-2023, the vessel was equipped with scientific instruments from many project partners. Wave and other meteorological instruments were mounted to the bow and mast. Water quality and chemical sensors continuously monitored global water quality and a range of acoustic instruments, both hydrophones and echosounders, monitored marine biology. Measurements were constantly captured and reported back to shore in real-time, using Blue Insight and Vessel Insight, both to raise public awareness and for scientific purposes.

"For the next expedition, the ship will be equipped with even more advanced technology. Among other things, our latest ADCP (acoustic Doppler current profiler) measures the speed of ocean currents using sound pulses. That is, it emits a ping and listens for return signals in specific time intervals," says Fjell.

The list of new equipment also includes an additional echo sounder, hull-mounted hydrophones, and the Seapath motion and positioning system from Kongsberg Discovery. As well as new technology such as AI solutions from Blue Insight.

"We hope that Statsraad Lemkuhl's expedition and advanced technology will inspire and educate new generations of seafarers and marine scientists," Fjell adds.

For further details of the One Ocean Expedition please see oneoceanexpedition.com

To find out more about Kongsberg Discovery please visit www.kongsberg.com/discovery