SET SAIL ON ZERO-EMISSION MISSIONS FOR THE OCEAN.
In May 2025, Race For Water launched its new expedition, the Ocean & Climate Odyssey, aboard a new ambassador vessel: the MODX 70, an innovative catamaran with zero pollutant and zero noise emissions. This new international adventure, with missions spread over three years, is dedicated to understanding the links between the ocean, climate, and biodiversity, and transforming this knowledge into a catalyst for collective action.
Continuing the legacy of its previous expeditions, this Odyssey embodies the implementation of the Foundation’s 3 flagship programs :
LEARN – Conducting field investigations with scientific experts to better understand the ocean’s essential role in climate regulation and the preservation of life;
SHARE – Alerting decision-makers, raising public awareness, and educating young generations about ocean-related challenges through port calls, workshops, and educational programs;
ACT – Promoting solutions with sustainable economic, environmental, and social impacts, supporting the decarbonization of maritime transport and the protection of marine ecosystems.
To successfully carry out this new adventure, we are actively seeking scientific collaborations.
l THE MODX 70: AN AMBASSADOR VESSEL FOR MARITIME ECOLOGICAL TRANSITION
Born from a collaboration between Océan Développement, Aeroforce, and the Race For Water Foundation, the MODX 70 is a pioneering clean-navigation catamaran.
Thanks to its propulsion system, which combines solar energy, hydro-generation, and automated wing sails, it sails without producing CO₂ or noise pollution, thus protecting marine wildlife.
Its large, bright, and comfortable spaces make it a unique platform for scientific research, as well as a meeting and exchange hub for scientists, policymakers, economic actors, civil society, and the media.
l VESSEL SPECIFICATIONS
l ADVANCE YOUR OCEAN & CLIMATE RESEARCH PROJECTS
You are a scientific research group from laboratories, universities, or research institutes, and you have a project related to major Ocean & Climate challenges such as:
- Studying Ocean–Climate interactions: oceanographic parameters, circulation, temperature, biodiversity.
- Monitoring and restoring marine and coastal ecosystems (seagrass, corals, biodiversity).
- Observing and analyzing indicators of global change.
- Experimenting with or demonstrating low-carbon solutions for the maritime sector.
Race for Water invites you to embark aboard the MODX 70 to advance your research projects while minimizing your impact on the marine environment.
Thanks to this vessel, you will be able to bring your light scientific equipment on board and enjoy an exceptional, spacious workspace that fosters multidisciplinary collaboration.
l A SPACE FOR SCIENCE, DIPLOMACY, AND INFLUENCE
The MODX 70 is a catalyst for ideas and regulations aimed at ocean protection and the decarbonization of maritime transport.
On board, scientists, policymakers, NGOs, private sector representatives, and media come together to share knowledge, conduct field experiments, and collaboratively envision concrete solutions.
Each voyage thus becomes a collective adventure, where exchanges give rise to tangible and inspiring initiatives to preserve the ocean and regenerate life.
l A SUCCESSFUL FIRST CAMPAIGN : THE POSIDONIA MISSION
In May 2025, the MODX 70 set sail for its first campaign : the Posidonia Mission ! In collaboration with GIS Posidonie and the French Biodiversity Office, our crew explored 13 sites between Marseille and Eze to collect updated data on the lower limits of Posidonia meadows and continue forty years of scientific monitoring.
During 19 days at sea, sailing with zero CO₂ emissions thanks to the MODX 70, the Foundation and its partners explored 13 sites along the French Riviera, conducted 25 investigation dives, relocated 8 historical markers, measured 10 lower limits, and collected 15 Posidonia matt samples.
The initial results highlight a concerning regression of these meadows at their lower limits, a tangible sign of the pressures affecting Mediterranean ecosystems.
Beyond the scientific data, the stopovers in Marseille and Nice (as part of the 3rd United Nations Ocean Conference) provided inspiring opportunities for exchanges between the general public, our scientific partners, public decision-makers, maritime sector actors, NGOs, and the media. The mission thus served as a powerful awareness-raising platform : 8 days at dock, 1 seminar on decarbonizing maritime transport, 1 press conference, 180 participants in public lectures, 365 students, and over 75 institutional, economic, and media stakeholders welcomed on board to discuss and commit to ocean protection.
The MODX 70 thereby demonstrated its role as a bridge between science and action, a space where research, awareness, and concrete engagement come together to protect the ocean and accelerate the maritime transition.
l UPCOMING MISSIONS
The provisional schedule and target regions for upcoming missions are as follows :
- May 2026 : Mediterranean
- Winter 2026 and 2027 : Caribbean
- Spring 2027 : North Atlantic (coasts of North America and France)
Each mission lasts 4 to 6 weeks and can accommodate up to 4 scientists.
Participation costs are determined based on the mission duration, number of participants, and technical requirements of the project.
Collaborating with Race for Water means:
- Conducting fieldwork on a zero-emission vessel to advance your scientific projects
- Accessing the MODX 70 and its professional crew, with logistical and technical support for integrating and using your scientific equipment
- Contributing to raising awareness among the general public, businesses, and policymakers
- Benefiting from communication and visibility through the Foundation’s networks and channels (media, web, educational programs, onboard workshops, port-call conferences)
- Transforming your knowledge into concrete actions to protect the ocean
So, want to join the adventure? Contact us now !
Contact :
Camille Rollin – Ocean & Climate Odyssey Coordinator
camille.rollin@raceforwater.org
www.raceforwater.org