First circumnavigation of the world by the largest solar-powered boat with new itinerary – Successful completion of the first legs – World tour continues with a crew of four.
MS TÛRANOR PLANETSOLAR continues World Tour
After successfully passing through the Panama Channel from East to West, MS TÛRANOR PlanetSolar will continue her world tour on the Pacific Ocean. TÛRANOR PlanetSolar and the boat’s crew have received an overwhelming welcome at their last stopovers in Miami, Cancun, Cartagena and Panama, and the team is now looking forward to the next legs of the journey. A stopover on the Galápagos Islands is another opportunity for the project to connect people and initiatives supporting the progress of solar energy. For the months to come, MS TÛRANOR PlanetSolar will follow an updated itinerary. The following major stopovers are currently being planned:
– Ecuador / Galapagos Islands (end of January 2011)
– French Polynesia / Bora Bora (mid March 2011)
– Tonga (April 2011)
– Australia / Brisbane, depending on the local weather situation (May 2011)
– China / Hong Kong (July 2011)
– China / Shanghai (August 2011)
– Singapore (October 2011)
– India / Mumbai (November 2011)
– Emirates / Abu Dhabi (December 2011)
– Transit Suez (February 2012)
– Monaco / return (April 2012)
This schedule is preliminary and might change due to weather conditions and other tour aspects. The itinerary only indicates major stopovers, there will be further “small” stops. In general, the tour aims to involve as many people as possible, with TÛRANOR PlanetSolar being an ambassador for the possibilities of renewable energies. The new itinerary does not foresee stopovers in San Francisco and Sydney. According to latest meteorological reports, the weather conditions for approaching both destinations are not appropriate (with regards to currents and stability of sunshine). Especially Australia currently is in a very difficult weather situation. “We hope that till spring the situation has improved again”, says project founder Raphaël Domjan. “Whatever will be the reasons behind the life threatening situation for many Australian people, this shows that we need more awareness for the issues behind our climate situation. We feel with the Australians and with all people currently suffering from rain and water floods.”
Based on the experience gained during the first legs of the journey, the boat now will be navigated with a crew of four people (instead of six): Raphaël Domjan, eco-explorer and founder of the PlanetSolar project, Captain Patrick Marchesseau, Jens Langwasser and Christian Ochsenbein. Mikaela von Koskull and Daniel Stahl will leave the boat for the legs to come. Patrick Marchesseau: “Thanks to Mikaela and Daniel who gave great support during the “Maiden voyage” of the boat. Without Mikaela as skipper and Daniel as technician we would not have managed the first proves offshore so smooth. We now know much more about the behaviour of TÛRANOR so that the boat needs less crew.” Boat owner Immo Stroeher adds: “Thanks to Mikaela and Daniel for being with us. They have an important share in our good progress and success for the tour.”
