Polar Pod celebrates the inauguration of the Persévérance sailboat!
As a sponsor of the Polar Pod expedition devised by renowned explorer Jean-Louis Etienne, Phytocontrol had the privilege of attending on Wednesday 14 June 2023 to celebrate the arrival in France, after a long journey from Vietnam, of the Persévérance sailboat, the Polar Pod’s supply vessel. The city of Marseille was chosen as the venue for the boat’s christening.
The event’s opening press conference was held on Marseille’s iconic Vieux-Port. This was an opportunity for Jean-Louis Etienne, the driving force behind the Polar Pod project, and Catherine Chabaud, renowned sailor and the sailboat’s godmother, together with Hervé Berville, Secretary of State for the Sea, to give a detailed account of the Polar Pod project, highlighting its ambitious goals and significant scientific scope.
A day marked by a tour of the sailboat
The main event of the day was of course the guided tour of the Persévérance sailboat, led by Jean-Louis Etienne himself, in which Mikael Bresson, founding president of the Phytocontrol Group, was able to take part.
Designed specifically for the expedition, this impressive vessel, measuring 42 metres long and 11 metres wide with an aluminium hull, leaves no one indifferent. The guided tour of the vessel was an exciting experience, offering a glimpse of the cutting-edge technology and equipment needed to carry out this polar adventure.
As a reminder, the Persévérance sailboat will be responsible for resupplying the crew of the future Polar Pod platform, currently under construction in Concarneau, at sea. The Polar Pod scientific expedition is expected to begin during 2025.
Looking back at the Polar Pod expedition
The Polar Pod mission is a bold project aimed at better understanding polar ecosystems and contributing to the preservation of our planet. Led by renowned explorer Jean-Louis Etienne, this expedition relies on the use of a revolutionary vessel called Polar Pod.
This unique system will enable researchers to conduct in-depth studies of the polar regions, providing them with an unparalleled platform for observation and data collection.
By sailing through the icy waters of the Arctic and Antarctic, the Polar Pod team is committed to gathering essential information on these fragile ecosystems, thereby contributing to the advancement of scientific research and raising global awareness of the importance of preserving them.
This ambitious mission embodies the spirit of adventure and commitment to our environment, and we are proud to support this crucial initiative.
In addition, members of our Phytocontrol Waters R&D and Production teams attended a guided tour of the Persévérance on Friday 9 June, meeting Jean Louis Etienne and his crew. The Polar Pod will collect data that Phytocontrol will be able to analyse, in particular the level of pollutant and microplastic contamination present in this ocean due to human impact.
To better understand the scale of this historic expedition, here are the key dates to remember:
- April 2022: Construction begins on the Persévérance sailing vessel, the emblematic ship of the expedition.
- December 2022: Construction begins on the Polar Pod oceanographic station in Concarneau
- June 2023: Inauguration of the Persévérance sailing vessel in France
- 2025: Launch of the Polar Pod capsule
We would like to express our deep gratitude to the Polar Pod team for their dedication and incredible work carried out as part of this large-scale expedition. By actively supporting this initiative, Phytocontrol reaffirms its unwavering commitment to preserving polar ecosystems and its desire to contribute significantly to scientific research in the field of the environment.
Join us in our commitment to preserving polar ecosystems and scientific research by supporting the Polar Pod expedition.
