First Half of the Global Warning Mission Completed
After nearly a month at sea, the Malizia Explorer has returned to Ushuaia, Argentina, marking the successful completion of the first half of the Global Warning Mission. The vessel arrived back in port on Monday the 1st of February 2026, after 22 intense and inspiring days sailing, researching, and engaging in outreach activities in the waters of the Western Antarctic Peninsula.
This voyage concluded the first of two consecutive missions in which Malizia Explorer teams up with Under The Pole for a joint Antarctic expedition. Bringing together sailors, scientists, and climate activists, the mission united a diverse international crew around a shared goal: raising awareness and driving action for the protection of one of the most fragile and important regions on Earth.
On board were leading voices from science and climate advocacy, including Dr. Lea Olivier (Alfred Wegener Institute), Luisa Neubauer, Camille Étienne, and Tamara Klink. Scientific activities ranged from supporting Under The Pole’s deep-diving programme to CTD rosette deployments.
Conditions were not easy throughout. After several days of work in great conditions, the crew had to shelter for about a week due to a storm, delaying the return south by a few days. When a weather window finally opened, Malizia Explorer headed back into the Drake Passage with little wind but heavy leftover swell. Four days of rolling seas followed, leaving much of the crew seasick, exhausted, and barely eating more than crackers.
Arrival in Ushuaia came around midday on Monday. Most of the crew stayed onboard initially, and disembarking felt unexpectedly difficult, as this would also mean leaving this adventure and the crew you had made friends and boat-families with behind. However, the bribe of a shower lured the team off of the boat.
With the first leg complete, Malizia Explorer is already preparing for the second and final voyage to Antarctica of the year, set to depart later this week, weather permitting, to continue and conclude the mission.
