Organisers say that every yacht participating in the Ocean Race Europe this summer will also serve as a floating lab, collecting vital ocean data while crews race between seven iconic European port cities.

During the offshore competition, which runs from August 10 through September 20, the fleet will collect measurements of water temperature, oxygen levels, CO2 concentrations, microplastics, and environmental DNA.

Some teams deploy drifter buoys that transmit weather information for many years.

Lucy Hunt, Ocean Impact director of The Ocean Race, a marine scientist, said: "We know that conditions in the ocean are changing quickly, but scientists need to collect more data so they can better understand what's happening, how fast it is changing, and its impact on ocean health."

Due to the vastness and complexity of the oceans, there is a lack of reliable data, as well as many areas which are under-sampled.

The race starts in Kiel, Germany, and continues to Portsmouth, Porto and Cartagena before visiting Nice, Genova and Montenegro’s Boka Bay.

Researchers report that more than 4,000,000 data points were generated by the 2023 Around-the-World Race.

Stefan Raimund is the Scientific Advisor for The Ocean Race. He said, "By using different configurations of The Ocean Race Science Instruments in different race boats, we can expand the scope of data that we collect."

The Ocean Race Europe, a multistage offshore sailing event organised by the group that organizes the Ocean Race around the world, is a multi-stage competition. The Ocean Race Europe features top-tier IMOCA60 and VO65 sailing yachts, crewed by mixed gender teams.

The IMOCA 60 & VO65 are two elite ocean racing yachts that compete in major offshore events.

The 60-foot IMOCA monohull is a foiling carbon fibre monohull that is designed for short-handed or solo races. The 65-foot VO65, on the other hand, is a fully crewed yacht that is used in races such as The Ocean Race.

(source: Reuters)