After setting sail on the 7th of January 2026, the crew onboard the Malizia Explorer headed south, the bow of the vessel pointed toward the Western Antarctic Peninsula. While some team members were still tucked away below deck, recovering from their first days of finding their sea legs, Dr. Lea Olivier from the Alfred Wegener Institute was keeping a close watch on the horizon. She was looking for fog, which often accompanies the “Antarctic Convergence” and signals the transition into polar  waters.

In collaboration with the Blue Marine Foundation and Instituto Vida no Oceano, the Malizia Explorer will embark on a mission to Fernando de Noronha to document and share the importance of safeguarding Ocean biodiversity. The expedition will support research for the creation of a new Marine Protected Area around nearby deep-sea seamounts, which are ecosystems rich in marine life but increasingly impacted by human activities.

Vital biodiversity data will be collected using BRUVs (Baited Remote Underwater Video), acoustic receivers, plankton sampling, diving surveys and our OceanPack. This research will guide protection measures for sharks, whales and other key species, aiming to ensure the long-term preservation of this unique ecosystem.

29th of August, North Atlantic -  During Malizia Explorer’s Atlantic crossing from Cabo Verde to Fernando de Noronha, the crew deployed a German Argo float at 11°N, 24°W as contribution to the global Argo Programme. This is the first of three floats that Malizia Explorer will release over the coming months, joining the fleet of nearly 4000 instruments already operating worldwide to measure temperature, salinity and pressure. The deployment was made possible through strong international collaboration between GEOMAR, the German Federal Maritime and Hydrographic Agency (BSH), the Ocean Science Center Mindelo and Team Malizia.

Our journey started in May when we headed down to Nice for the One Ocean Science Congress and the United Nations Ocean Conference. Fast forward to mid July and we are remembering our past few weeks full of excitement onboard the Malizia Explorer and bracing ourselves for the upcoming missions that are taking us to Dakar, Senegal and Cabo Verde!

Team Malizia proudly announces the christening of its sailing research vessel, Malizia Explorer, in a ceremony held this afternoon at the Yacht Club de Monaco (YCM). Pierre Casiraghi and Boris Herrmann were joined by the ship's godmother, Dr Sylvia Earle who christened the vessel with HSH Prince Albert II of Monaco. This event marks a significant milestone in the team's ongoing mission to advance Ocean science and climate action.