Plastic Odyssey research vessel re-fitted with Simrad electronics before global expedition begins
by Simrad 14 Jul 2022 06:14 NZST
Simrad Yachting has outfitted the bridge of the Plastic Odyssey research vessel as part of a 4-year partnership supporting Plastic Odyssey's expedition around the globe to tackle the issue of plastic pollution in our planet's oceans.
The partnership was announced last year but due to a 1-year delay from the pandemic and technical challenges, Plastic Odyssey shifted departure festivities to late September 2022 with the circumnavigation scheduled for three years.
"We are excited about supporting Plastic Odyssey's mission and expedition by fully equipping their vessel's bridge with the latest in radar and navigation technology," says James Methven, Global Head of Brand, Simrad Yachting. "The boat re-fit over the past year is only the start. We look forward to sharing this inspiring adventure of the Plastic Odyssey team, helping keep them safe and on course, while also covering the voyage across our digital platforms with updates and content."
Plastic Odyssey's goal is to address plastic pollution on a global scale by traveling to low and middle-income countries - where coastal cities have amassed massive quantities of plastic - in hopes of turning these areas into local micro-factories as the main raw material for the transformation of plastic waste into building materials and fuel, thanks to low-tech and easily transferable technologies. Plastic Odyssey also plans to work towards a plastic-free future through the development of various awareness-raising, educational and social sciences research programs.
"The refit of the Plastic Odyssey vessel is nearly finished after more than 2 years of hard work," said Simon Bernard, Founder & CEO, Plastic Odyssey. "The bridge and its electronics were refitted with state-of-the-art Simrad® products and we are not only thrilled but also very confident in these systems that are key for a vessel about to circumnavigate the globe for 3 years."
In July, the boat will head to Marseille, France to prepare for the expedition departure with a full program of events scheduled for late September including media activities, boat christening and official departure from Marseille's Vieux Port on October 1. Along with providing Plastic Odyssey with the latest Simrad® electronics and navigation technology, Simrad® technical experts have been on hand to train Plastic Odyssey researchers and captains.
Featured Simrad products on the bridge include R5024 12U/6X CAT 2 Radar, Simrad P3007 GPS system and S3009 Navigation Echosounder. Visit here for Plastic Odyssey section on World of Simrad with full list of Simrad electronics on-board.