Posts of the day

Dominique Benzaken, member of the Indian Ocean Expedition Advisory Committee, reports on the blue economy related to the Saya de Malha joint management area. Few countries have so far developed a national blue economy strategy, the Seychelles and Mauritius being among them. This type of strategy combines economic, social and environmental objectives, in line with the principles of sustainable development, and encompasses all maritime sectors.

Seeing the invisible island, or how the Saya de Malha bank plays hide and seek with the S.A. Agulhas II and the crew of the Indian Ocean mission. The impressions and feelings of Didier Théron, Mediation Manager for Explorations de Monaco, on these days dedicated to the exploration of an unknown and mysterious environment by the teams of scientists on board.

François Simard, secretary of the Indian Ocean Mission’s Steering Committee, takes stock of the governance challenges facing Saya de Malha. This immense bank, located more than 300 km from the first submerged land and the size of Switzerland, is subject to unique governance, the result of the complexity of the Law of the Sea.

Reporter, author, film-maker and columnist Stéphane Dugast joined the Indian Ocean mission to the Seychelles with photographer Nicolas Mathys, in Aldabra to accompany the Prince’s delegation. Impressions of an adventurer, this former “Peking”, ex-reporter for Cols Bleus, the newspaper of the French Navy.

Dr Brendan Quinn, the ship’s doctor, tells us about his career. He talks about his job and the benefits of this exploration mission. This young doctor’s view of an often demanding profession is full of maturity and perspective.

Gwennaïs Fustemberg, marine biologist in charge of the Madcaps project on micro-plastics, describes her daily life on board. A tale inhabited by a red giant and a manta net…

Gilles Bessero, head of the Monaco Explorations mission in the Indian Ocean, gives us his thoughts at the end of this first phase, during the stopover in the Seychelles, between the disembarkation and embarkation of the first teams and new arrivals.

Flora Ginocchio, Administrative Manager of Explorations de Monaco, joined the mission during the stopovers in Mauritius and Reunion. In this post, she talks about these two stopovers and the long months of preparation that preceded the ship’s departure.

Olivier Laroussinie, a member of the Indian Ocean Mission Steering Committee, was on board for the initial trip from Cape Town to Mauritius… He shares his first impressions and assesses the challenges of the mission.

Céline Dimier, a biology engineer from Villefranche-sur-Mer, gives us her first impressions on leaving Cape Town. A new mission… and a new oceanographic adventure for this veteran of long-distance scientific missions and expeditions.