Please select your home edition
Edition
Allen Brothers

Kongsberg Discovery on board with One Ocean Expedition for ambitious, year-long research voyage

by Kongsberg Discovery 12 Apr 11:19 BST
Statsraad Lehmkuhl: Kongsberg Discovery is on board for the year-long One Ocean Expedition © Kongsberg Discovery

Kongsberg Discovery has helped transform the 111-year-old, three-masted sailing ship Statsraad Lehmkuhl into a state-of-the-art research vessel for the upcoming One Ocean Expedition, departing from Bergen, Norway, on 11 April.

The almost 100-metre-long vessel, Norway's largest sailing ship, has been fitted with an array of Kongsberg Discovery technology to help scientists monitor and understand unique ocean environments, including the waters of the legendary Northwest Passage.

Onboard systems now include 75 and 300 kHz ADCPs, EK80 Echo Sounders, an advanced hydrophone cluster, and the Seapath GNSS-aided inertial navigation system, while Blue Insight, a cutting-edge ocean data management and analytics platform, will process and share captured data with land-based teams daily. In addition, a wide range of equipment, such as weather stations, water samplers, situational awareness, and motion reference units, has also been integrated.

A world of opportunity

The One Ocean Expedition 2025-2026 is a 12-month voyage encompassing 26 ports across three continents. It will see a crew featuring seasoned scientists, eager students and key stakeholders crossing the Atlantic Ocean, the Mediterranean, the Arctic, the Pacific, and the Caribbean.

En route, the team will collect a wealth of data to help ascertain ocean health, monitor marine ecosystems, and assess the impact of climate change, building both knowledge and awareness of pressing issues.

Proven performance

"It is a great honour to be supporting this crucial expedition with our cutting-edge solutions," says Martin Wien Fjell, President of Kongsberg Discovery. "The ship will work as a unique data acquisition platform, empowering insights in often remote and little-understood environments, such as the Northwest Passage, while gathering invaluable information about the broader state of ocean health.

"Our systems are perfectly suited to the tasks ahead, performing with proven reliability, optimal precision and high-quality results in even the most demanding conditions. We're looking forward to setting sail, while also helping the students set sail on their careers as the next generation of ocean scientists and explorers. We believe major discoveries await."

Global benefits

Kongsberg Discovery's innovations will be put to work on a number of key assignments, including measuring ocean currents, with the ADCP, to help understand how marine life is affected by ocean movements, and recording underwater noise, using hydrophones, to 'listen' for pollution and monitor marine mammals, such as whales.

"The Statsraad Lehmkuhl is an incredible vessel, but to meet the ambitious expedition goals, it needed a major technology upgrade," comments Haakon Vatle, CEO and expedition leader, The One Ocean Expedition. "We're immensely grateful to Kongsberg Discovery and the Kongsberg Group for their commitment to tailor a technology package that will allow us to shine light on the depths and unlock a level of understanding that, we hope, can benefit the entire world."

The One Ocean Expedition sets sail during One Ocean Week in Bergen, calling in at ports including Reykjavik, Nuuk (Greenland), Cambridge Bay (Canada), Seattle, La Paz (Mexico), Cartagena (Columbia), Cadiz, and Dublin. During its stop in Nice, France, vessel team members will participate in the 2025 UN Ocean Conference. Statsraad Lehmkuhl will return to Bergen in April 2026, in time for next year's One Ocean Week.

For further details on the route and expedition, please see www.oneoceanexpedition.com

www.kongsberg.com/discovery

Related Articles

Admiral's Cup Paul Wyeth Wednesday Photo Gallery
The wind was lighter, the conditions were overcast, but Paul still makes the action come alive The wind was lighter, the conditions were overcast, but Paul Wyeth still makes the action come alive with his photos. Here's his gallery from the racing on Wednesday in the 2025 Admiral's Cup. Posted today at 5:26 am
Ramsgate Week 2025 Mid-Week Update
Lighter breeze to start after a windy EAORA Round-the-Goodwins race After a windy EAORA Round-the-Goodwins race, Ramsgate Week proper started in lighter winds on Monday 21st July and will build up to the IRC East Coast Championships on the last three days. Posted today at 5:13 am
Admiral's Cup PKC Media Wednesday Photo Gallery
Out on the water on Wednesday to capture the lighter wind action Patrick Condy of PKC Media was out on the water on Wednesday to capture the lighter wind action in the 2025 Admiral's Cup. Here are his selection of photos from the racing! Posted today at 5:06 am
Grafham Water Flying Fifteen Open
A decent 10-15 knots on Sundy after rain and no wind and rain on Saturday Despite the heavy rain, spirits remained high as competitors gathered in the club's wet bar — a fitting location given the weather! With plenty of banter and optimism in the air, they chatted about the slim chances of racing on Saturday. Posted today at 4:56 am
Admiral's Cup Ingrid Abery Wednesday Gallery
Up close and personal with the teams on a lighter wind day Thanks to her long lens and skill, Ingrid Abery got up close and personal with the Admiral's Cup teams on a lighter wind day in the Solent. Enjoy these crew photos, and many more in the gallery above! Posted today at 4:46 am
America's Cup: Italy's five boat Challenge
‘Il Moro di Venezia', a five-boat programme left no stone unturned The transition from colourful and applauded challenges of 1983 and 1987, to Challengers for the XXVIII America's Cup in San Diego, was a pivotal moment in the history of Italy in the competition. Posted on 23 Jul
Rolex Fastnet Race: Upwind to the Fastnet Rock
The long range forecast for this year's race shows more benign conditions Teams that competed in the last two Rolex Fastnet Races and are returning for this Saturday's special centenary edition will be breathing a sigh of relief looking at the long term forecast. Posted on 23 Jul
Admiral's Cup Inshore Racing Day 2
Beau Geste and Nola rise in shifty Solent showdown Race Four of the Admiral's Cup brought a tactical masterclass in light airs to the Central Solent. PRO Stuart Childerley set a windward leeward course for both classes, 1.6nm for AC1 and a shorter 1.4nm for AC2. Posted on 23 Jul
NYYC International Women's Championship update
The final group of five invited skippers is announced The final group of skippers to be announced for the 2026 New York Yacht Club International Women's Championship radiates enthusiasm for this groundbreaking opportunity in one of the world's most famous sailing cities. Posted on 23 Jul
Admiral's Cup David Maynard Wednesday Gallery
A quieter day on the Solent for the international fleet Wednesday's Admiral's Cup inshore racing in the Solent didn't quite have the wind of yesterday, but David Maynard was out on the water to catch the action in the morning before the wind switched off for a while. Posted on 23 Jul