Environmental impact, best practices and the importance of complementary expertise were at the heart of the exchange during the Polar Dialogue and plenary sessions “Floating Platforms in Polar Seas: Sailing for Science” at this year’s Arctic Circle Assembly in Reykjavík.
On this occasion, organisations operating various platforms in polar seas met to reflect on the best strategies to amplify their positive impact on polar research. Co-organised by AWI, the Swiss Polar Institute, and Éditions Paulsen, the sessions united a rich panel of experts: Patrick Aebischer (Founder, Forel Heritage Association), Cornelius Eich (Head of Partnership & Sustainability, Boris Herrmann Team Malizia), Arved Fuchs (Expedition Leader, OCEAN CHANGE, Germany) Morten Rasch (Polar Scientist, Activ Expeditions), Romain Troublé (CEO, Tara Ocean Foundation), with a broad array of racing, sailing, and floating platforms enabling data collection with minimal environmental burden.
Among the key points emphasised was the importance of cooperation and complementary expertise between infrastructure and scientific experts to ensure efficient operations and the optimal performance of scientific instruments onboard. The small footprint of such platforms was also highlighted as essential for more respectful deployment of scientific activities in coastal areas. The discussions wrapped up with outlooks for the future, with the Vendée Globe race or Antarctica InSync international programme representing timely opportunities for an agile, proficient, and sustainable integration of scientific research with these innovative methods of accessing polar seas.
- Watch the Arctic Circle plenary session on YouTube: