Malizia Explorer deploys their first Argo float
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.
Argo floats are autonomous scientific instruments that dive through the water column to depths of up to 2,000 metres, measuring temperature, salinity, and pressure before resurfacing to transmit data via satellite. These continuous observations are vital for weather forecasting, climate monitoring, and oceanographic research. Each float spends most of its lifetime beneath the surface, quietly mapping the Ocean’s physical structure and dynamics over time.
The crew of Malizia Explorer preparing for the deployment of the Argo Float. © Andreas Lindlahr
This deployment was initiated in collaboration with the GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel, following Team Malizia’s joint missions in Cabo Verde earlier this month. The floats themselves belong to the German Federal Maritime and Hydrographic Agency (BSH), which also oversees their data management and integration into the international Argo Programme. This global effort aims to provide a complete picture of the Ocean’s heat and freshwater balance crucial for understanding the global nature of climate change.
The crew are now on their way to Fernando de Noronha, where they will embark on a mission 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.
The crew of Malizia Explorer preparing for the deployment of the Argo Float. © Andreas Lindlahr
The second and third Argo float deployment is therefore set to be after the culmination of this mission during the passage to Uruguay before Team Malizia embark on their first Antarctic mission. Deploying floats in the South Atlantic is particularly crucial, as this region remains one of the least-sampled globally, leaving major gaps in climate models and in understanding the spread of Antarctic Bottom Water northward. By contributing to filling these gaps, Team Malizia supports the international scientific community in improving knowledge of our Oceans and their role in the Earth’s climate system.
UPDATE:
The Malizia Explorer crew has now deployed all three Argo floats from onboard. Follow their journeys here:
Argo Float #1 deployed 28/08/2025
The crew of Malizia Explorer preparing for the deployment of the Argo Float. © Andreas Lindlahr
