First results of Team Holcim-PRB’s Scientific Contributions During the Vendée Globe

During the latest Vendée Globe, one of the world’s toughest sailing challenges, Team Holcim-PRB’s skipper, Nicolas Lunven, not only finished in an impressive 6th place but also played a crucial role in oceanic research. The IMOCA of Team Holcim-PRB was equipped with the OceanPack, an advanced device designed to collect crucial ocean data. This data is particularly vital as Nicolas sailed to some of the most remote parts of the planet that are rarely accessible for scientific research – he gathered valuable information about the health of the ocean in order to better understand and protect this ecosystem. 

The OceanPack, supplied to the team in partnership with The Ocean Race, is a cutting-edge monitoring system built for the extreme conditions of offshore racing. As sailors push the limits, flying on foils and breaking speed records in the harshest environments, the OceanPack continuously records vital oceanographic data - dissolved oxygen, CO₂, temperature, and salinity.

Over 75 days at sea we collected 1.8 million data points, each contributing to a deeper understanding of global climate change. In this high-stakes world of speed and uncertainty, every measurement plays a key role in solving the complex puzzle of our planet’s future.

Dissolved Oxygen

Oxygen is crucial for life on Earth, supporting marine ecosystems and indicating ocean health. As oceans warm, they hold less oxygen, creating "dead zones" (areas with reduced oxygen that can no longer support the same diversity of life). Since the 1950s, oceans have lost about 2% of dissolved oxygen, with more reductions expected due to rising temperatures. This threatens marine biodiversity, as regions with lower oxygen levels can no longer support the rich variety of life.¹

Data from the Vendée Globe helps scientists track how climate change and pollution affect marine ecosystems. Monitoring dissolved oxygen provides insights into ocean dynamics and its role in carbon cycling, making real-time tracking vital to protect marine life by 2030.²

Carbon Dioxide (CO₂)

The Ocean currently absorbs about one-quarter of human-made CO₂, helping to mitigate climate change and support marine life by stabilizing environmental conditions.³ Since 1750, CO₂ levels in the atmosphere have significantly risen, from around 287 ppm to about 410-420 ppm today. On the data set which was collected by Holcim-PRB, CO₂ levels often fell below 410-420 ppm which means a transport of CO₂ from the atmosphere to the ocean, illustrating the ocean’s dynamic ability to balance atmospheric conditions.^{4 5}

The ocean interacts with the atmosphere to stabilize CO₂ levels. This absorption unfortunately increases the ocean acidity, which can have detrimental effects on marine organisms like corals and shellfish that rely on calcareous structures. As global temperatures rise and the ocean holds more carbon, the ocean's ability to absorb CO₂ decreases, leading to changes in marine chemistry. Monitoring CO₂ levels is essential to predict and protect marine ecosystems from these impacts, and to close the global carbon dioxide budget.