Fabrice Amedeo: Departing for Vendée-Arctique-Les Sables d’Olonne Day After World Plastic Bag-Free Day

More Than a Challenge: Lay a Course in for Ecology

As part of an environmental action, the Skipper will be piloting a somewhat special IMOCA…
Fabrice Amedeo has outfitted his monohull with new innovative sensors to help research institutions, such as IFREMER, collect a lot of data on the condition of the oceans. Onet is a partner that brings support to the Skipper’s project.

The recently renovated yacht will pump sea water through its keel and then into 300-, 100-, and 30-micron filters that will capture microplastics. The project being to characterize the condition of our oceans from the pollution standpoint. More than just a competition, it is an actual research expedition in the making with the objective to raise awareness as much as possible.

Sail to Benefit Science

“I am going to be dedicated to more than just the competition, so, indeed, there is an impact, but I find that it is really worthwhile,” the mariner confides. Research will help make specific advances in this environment.

For example, researchers are hoping to gain better insight into areas of concentration of particulates produced by the degradation of the 8 million tons of plastic matter that finds its way into the ocean every year. Then, the objective will be roughly to classify the plastics to quantify them better. To provide incentive for the activity, the UNESCO Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission and the IMOCA Association also signed a partnership in January to promote ocean sciences.

“I believe it is brilliant to launch the microplastics mission using this itinerary which will help take measurements very far to the north. This is a grand opening with the new recorder. And the race is a grand dress rehearsal for Vendée Globe both from the research and the sports standpoints”, points out Fabrice.

Onet: Concrete Action for the Environment

For over two years Onet has been committed to saving resources while maintaining the same level of quality in all its core operations, such as its classic cleaning service. With Biogistic, Onet saves 20 tons of plastic a year thereby reducing waste by 30%.

During the actual cleaning, the trick is to use ultra concentrated products which helps optimize the amounts of plastic delivered into our local warehouses because three 25-L containers produce over 20,000 L of active solution.
Afterwards, a simple principle of re-using and re-filling empty bottles instead of throwing them away. To make this possible, a technical solution for controlled dilution of our ultra concentrated products was introduced at all our branches and larger sites.