Maersk joins Virgin Oceanic Expedition
SHIPPING: The Virgin Oceanic Expedition Team confirmed Danish shipping company Maersk Line as the official shipping and research partner of the Virgin Oceanic 'Five Dives' expedition. The initiative is headed by Sir Richard Branson, founder of the Virgin Group.
The five dives to the bottom of the world's oceans will be carried out by Sir Richard Branson and Chris Welsh who will each man an innovative new-built deep dive submarine, subject to receipt of all required regulatory approvals.
The deepest dive will take the adventurer 36,000 feet down to the bottom of the Mariana Trench after which he will be able to 'fly' six miles across the Trench floor. The dives will run over a period of two years, after which the submarine will be donated to a U.S. museum.
DEEP CHALLENGER dives
Dive 1 - Mariana Trench
Pacific Ocean
Dive 2 - Diamantina Trench
Indian Ocean
Dive 3 - Puerto Rico Trench
Atlantic Ocean
Dive 4 - Molloy Deep
Arctic Ocean
Dive 5 - South Sandwich Trench
Southern Ocean
"The Five Dives expedition is a unique and exciting opportunity for Maersk Line to support scientific ocean research. It is well aligned with our aspirations on improving the understanding of the state of the world's oceans", says Eskild Lund Sorensen, Head of Marine Stewardship, Maersk Line.
Maersk Line has contributed to the funding of the scientific equipment used in the expedition to collect and analyse samples from the submarine dives and catamaran voyages.
Maersk Line's sponsorship may also include the transportation of the submarine and other equipment for the expedition, subject to receipt of all required regulatory approvals.
The expedition embarks from San Diego in the summer with the first dive taking place off the coast of Guam in the Mariana Trench. Over the course of approximately two years the team will uncover the deepest trenches of the Indian, Atlantic, Arctic and Southern Oceans.
"We are delighted to receive the support of Maersk Line in this amazing adventure to go where literally no man has gone before. Maersk Line is an important partner in this project and a sustainability ally demonstrating true commitment to protecting the marine environment" ,says Sir Richard Branson, founder of the Virgin Group.
Source: Maersk Line / maritimedanmark.dk
