The One Ocean Expedition 2025 - 2026
In the wake of the success of the One Ocean Expedition 2021-2023, Statsraad Lehmkuhl will set sail again in April 2025 for a new, 12-month-long expedition. Join us on a journey that explores the ocean's crucial role in our future!
The One Ocean Expedition is a global voyage with one clear purpose: to highlight the vital role of the ocean in building a sustainable future. As we sail across the world, we gather and share knowledge, connect people, and inspire action.
The journey begins during One Ocean Week in Bergen in April 2025 and returns to Bergen during One Ocean Week 12 months later in 2026.
A Challenging Route
As a proud ambassador of the UN Decade of Ocean Science, the Statsraad Lehmkuhl will visit 26 different ports over three continents.
One of the most exciting aspects is the plan to follow in Roald Amundsen’s footsteps and sail through the legendary and extremely challenging Northwest Passage in the Arctic, on the voyage from the Atlantic to the Pacific. The voyage crew on this leg will consist of Norwegian and international students from UiT The Arctic University of Norway.
Open Legs for the Public
Many of the legs of the One Ocean Expedition 2025-2026 will be chartered by the expedition’s partners, but there will also be legs with regular ticket sales for the public. Se all open voyages here.
A Floating University
Statsraad Lehmkuhl is primarily a training ship, providing education in sailing and traditional seamanship.
During the One Ocean Expedition, it also functions as a floating university and a research vessel. The 111-year-old ship is equipped with state-of-the-art research equipment that continuously collects data on the health of the ocean.
The life in the ocean along the route will be examined, and researchers will document the traces of human activity: What pollution is present, such as microplastics, and how much noise is generated by our activities on and in the ocean? Some specific topics will be studied, such as the exchange of CO2 between the atmosphere and the ocean, and how it affects the acidity of the water.
A sailing ship produces little noise, making it ideal for collecting acoustic data just below the ocean surface. Lehmkuhl is equipped with both passive listening hydrophones and active scinetific echo sounders.
Participation and Collaboration
Educational and research institutions will charter expedition legs, while selected businesses and organizations committed to sustainability will also participate. Additionally, the public will have the opportunity to join specific legs of the journey.
In Port: Conferences, Diplomacy and Public Engagement
During port visits, the ship will serve as a venue for scientific conferences and workshops, diplomatic and high-level meetings, educational programs and public outreach events.
As part of the UN Decade of Ocean Science, the One Ocean Expedition will particularly contribute to the following Sustainable Development Goals:
The ocean unites us.
Common challenges such as climate change and ocean acidification affect all parts of the ocean. Therefore, the idea of sailing across the shared "One Ocean" with a vessel that both invites and requires everyone on board to collaborate smartly is a great way to highlight the core of the challenge in achieving sustainability, while also emphasizing the ocean's role.
Building on a Success Story
The One Ocean Expedition 2025-2026 builds on the success of the previous expedition, One Ocean Expedition 2021-2023. Over the course of 20 months, the ship sailed 60,000 nautical miles and visited 37 different ports around the globe.
The Ship Inspires
The previous expedition demonstrated that Statsraad Lehmkuhl is a unique platform for bringing together and inspiring students, researchers, leaders, and ordinary people in the effort for a cleaner ocean.
A total of participants from 62 different nations took part in the various legs of the voyage.
Research and fieldwork from the first expedition have so far resulted in six published scientific articles, six master's theses, and one doctoral dissertation.
UN sustainable develpoment goals
The One Ocean Expedition is a recognized part of the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development (SDG). We aim to contribute in particular to the following SDGs:
14 - Life below water
13 - Climate action
4 - Quality Education
17 - Partnership for the goals.
Follow us online
The Lehmkuhl Fooundation invites everyone to become "digital passengers" on this epic expedition, to and follow us online through our website and our sosial media channels.
Parts of the expedition will also be open for you to join on board with us!