Congratulations to all who have continuously worked to protect our oceans, paving the way for a unique global agreement.
March 2023 is a month of hope, a victory for diplomacy, and a ray of hope for our oceans and us humans living on this beautiful blue planet.
Jochen Werne commenting on the “High Seas Treaty”, the historic agreement reached by UN delegates to protect marine biodiversity in international waters
Following the 1951 Antarctic Treaty, the Convention on the Protection of Marine Biodiversity in International Waters is an important step towards achieving UNEP’s SDG targets and thus a better world for us all.
As members of the Global Offshore Sailing Team, which has been working to promote environmental awareness since 1999, we are very grateful to the dedicated diplomats for reaching such a milestone in history.
For everyone interested please read more on the “High Seas Treaty” here:
United Nations: UN delegates reach historic agreement on protecting marine biodiversity in international waters https://news.un.org/en/story/2023/03/1134157
Enjoy a glimpse of the thrills awaiting the men aboard their expeditionary sailing yacht in the North Sea with this introductory trailer featuring moments from previous GOST missions.
The challenging tides, rough weather and dense ship traffic of the North Sea will be the first chapter within the Global Offshore Sailing Team‘s Expedition Blue Ocean. In 2022, GOST will undertake various missions to all Seven Seas to learn about and promote the most exciting #CLEAN ENERGY & #CLEAN SEAS projects and the driving forces behind them.
Inspired by the great Prince of the Sea Albert I and his strong commitment to international understanding, the environment and our oceans, we will carry out various missions with our supporters around the globe to promote international understanding and environmental awareness around #cleanseas and #cleanenergy
I’m proud commanding the 1st Mission with an outstanding experienced team:
NORTH SEA ENDURANCE 600+nm Offshore (Expedition Blue Ocean) Departure Zeebrugge, Belgium – 14 May 22: Into the Night – 271 nm Offshore to Wilhelmshaven/Bremerhaven – Meet the drivers of the #CLEAN SEAS initiatives of the German Research Centre for Artificial Intelligence, Beach Cleaner and many more. Sail from Wilhelmshaven North-West to the major offshore wind farms. Meet Northern Helicopters and others who keep these breathtaking #CLEAN ENERGY projects running in such challenging conditions.
Other missions to come: GOST-Senior Officer Wolfgang Händel will command parallel to NORTH SEA ENDURANCE, the MEDITERRANEAN ENDURANCE MISSION in the Thyrenian Sea. With the great support of the Asociación para la Investigación y Difusión de la Historia Naval de Cuba projects with the Yacht Club de Havana (CARRIBEAN ENDURANCE) are in planning. Same with the Royal Cinque Ports Yacht Club (ATLANTIC ENDURANCE), our Californian team mates (PACIFIC ENDURANCE) and many more.
Please find updates at www.ExpeditionBlueOcean.com
This prize to be awarded to the person, group or team that contributed the most to the goal of creating international understanding within the year, of the Lord Warden Trophy and it was unanimously agreed by a panel of judges that this should be presented to Jochen Werne (a founder member of GOST as well as a member of RCPYC) for his outstanding work in reaching across national boundaries and promoting and advancing the spirit of sailing around the world both through his work with GOST and the various other organisations he represents, not least his organising the Lord Warden Challenge race. Congratulations to you Jochen.
Geoff Dunne esq., Commodere, Royal Cinque Ports Yacht Club Dover
Admiral of the Fleet The Lord Boyce and the Commodore of the Royal Cinque Ports Yacht Club Dover, Geoff Dunne presenting the Award for special engagement in International Relations to Jochen Werne
It was a great honour to receive the Admiral of the Fleet The Lord Prize, awarded for the first time for international understanding, on behalf of all those who, through their commitment, have helped to unite people from different countries of our beautiful planet.
A great privilege to receive the prize from the hands of one of the people I greatly admire for his life’s work and especially for his brilliance in bringing people together. The Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports, Admiral of the Fleet The Lord Boyce is a shining example for so many and a great inspiration.
I’m proud having the opportunity to publish today this homage to all on- and offshore members of the Global Offshore Sailing Team (GOST). They created in the last 20 years a unique example of people’s diplomacy. Founded in 1999 by Jochen Werne and Guido Zoeller, the Global Offshore Sailing Team, acts today as an international group of dedicated sailors comprised of members from all over the world. GOST which navigates on oceans worldwide and in which many teammates have naval backgrounds, have made it a priority to keep naval traditions alive and to use expeditions as instrument for the creation of international understanding and peoples’ diplomacy.
Jochen Werne Co-Founder GLobal Offshore Sailing Team
The NAVIGATORS HERITAGE CHALLENGE is a 360 nautical mile OFFSHORE SAILING CHALLENGE from the bay of Palma de Mallorca to the coast of Monaco IN REMEMBRANCE OF the unique explorer, seaman and statesman PRINCE ALBERT I of MONACO.
Prince Albert I of Monaco
What makes this challenge special is that it is open – by invitation – to all types of sailing yachts, but for the participating crews it is only allowed to use navigation technologies invented before 1900. While the navigators on board give their best to determine their position at sea as accurately as possible, the spectators worldwide can follow the yachts and their tactics live on the Internet thanks to modern GPS tracking devices.
Therefore, the result of this challenge at sea is not necessarily based on the best technological equipment, but, as in the times of the great explorers, on the CAPABILITIES of the NAVIGATOR and THE PRECISE CONTROL OF THE SHIP THROUGH ITS CREW.
THE GOAL
By combining TRADITION and FUTURE in today’s hyper-connected world, the initiators of the challenge will bring together people and sailors from around the world, to remember peacefully not only the great seafarers and explorers of the world – who were the first to unite our nations and people around the globe – but also to raise awareness and sensitise civil society to the importance of our MARITIME ECOSOCYSTEM in relation to the UNITED NATIONS SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS.
With a wreath-laying ceremony at sea off Monaco on Tuesday, 2 July 2019 at 1800 CEST, the Challenger Yachts will commemorate the great merits of Prince Albert I, who symbolises all those who today work for our seas and international understanding.
Navigators Heritage Challenge Commemoration ceremony planned for Tuesday, 2 July 2019 art 1800 CEST off MonacoOCEAN HERITAGE EVENT
On Friday, June 28, 2019, one day prior the start of the NAVIGATORS HERITAGE CHALLENGE a unique event to create awareness for the importance of preserving our beautiful oceans will take place in our beautiful host city Palma de Mallorca.
The OCEAN HERITAGE event will be a call for action for supporting the UN Sustainable Development goals featuring cinematic performances by Martina Hirschmeier – Producer of Oceans in Danger and an outstanding music performance by Tom Huber
