The Swiss Polar Institute (SPI) and the Swiss skipper Oliver Heer are lending their OceanPack to the new research vessel Malizia Explorer this year. SPI will thus continue to enable data analysis with ETH Zurich and the Universities of Bern and Lausanne, highlighting once more how the offshore sailing and scientific communities join forces to further ocean and climate research.
“Creating opportunities for data collection and enabling hands-on collaboration are central pillars of the Swiss Polar Institute’s mission. We are very pleased that the data collection and expert network initiated through the Vendée Globe collaboration with skipper Oliver Heer can pursue its work on board Malizia’s research vessel for the next months.” – Danièle Rod, Executive Director, Swiss Polar Institute
“I’m very proud that the OceanPack data sensor from my Vendée Globe campaign will continue its mission with Team Malizia for the rest of the year. By sharing this sophisticated instrument provided by the Swiss Polar Institute, we can collect even more vital data to help scientists to better understand climate change and how we can tackle it. This partnership shows that competitors can also collaborate for the benefit of our planet.” – Oliver Heer, Oliver Heer Ocean Racing
Malizia Explorer, the new 85-foot (25,99 m) aluminium sailing research vessel, was launched in April 2025 by Team Malizia. The vessel will be christened in Monaco on 6 June 2025, a few days before World Ocean Day and UNOC. After sailing the Mediterranean, the vessel will carry out its first main mission in the Antarctic.
- More information on Malizia Explorer
- More information on the collaboration with Oliver Heeer and the science campaign during the Vendée Globe
Header photograph: Malizia Explorer © 2025 Antoine Auriol I Team Malizia, all rights reserved