Santa Cruz de Tenerife, October 14 – As the world turns its eyes to Belém, Brazil, the host of the upcoming UN Climate Change Conference (COP30), a very different kind of journey is already underway sailing Flotilla4Change. Far from airport expansions and new highways, the AVONTUUR is part of this Flotilla.
But before setting course for Belém, the AVONTUUR had already completed a remarkable voyage:
Departing Tenerife on January 25, the crew journeyed across the Atlantic with stops in Nicaragua and Mexico, delivering not just cargo, but a message. The voyage done by Timbercoasts Avontuur – partners of Fair Winds Collective – showcased the future of shipping: emission-free, fair, and deeply cooperative.
Among her cargo? Fairly traded organic cocoa and coffee beans, lovingly grown, fairly paid for, and sailed across the ocean without fossil fuels. As the beans were offloaded in Hamburg’s harbor this summer, their journey stirred conversations about how we trade, transport, and connect.
Sailed. Not Shipped. Traded. Not Traded Off.
Looking Ahead: The Journey to COP30
Now, the AVONTUUR is back at sea, this time with her sails full of purpose, partnerships, and precious cargo.
- Onboard: 10 tons of organic fertilizer used in the sustainable cultivation of algae – offering a natural alternative to synthetic blue dyes.
- On the horizon: 6 tons of Brazil nuts, organized by Flotilla4Change, cargo for the voyage
- Ultimate destination: Belém, where this journey of climate-conscious transport will meet the global climate conversation at COP30 (November 10–21, 2025).
Flotilla4Change, a coalition of sailing vessels advocating for climate justice and sustainable futures, departed in early October from Amsterdam. They’re now anchored in Cape Verde, carrying their own climate stories – and solutions – towards South America. Their message is clear:
We can meet the climate crisis not with more runways, but with new pathways—over water, through cooperation, and with care.
Why It Matters
As authorities in Belém expand airports and highways to accommodate tens of thousands of COP attendees, the contrast couldn’t be starker. Flotilla4Change reminds us that how we get to the climate summit matters as much as what we say when we arrive.
These voyages aren’t just about cargo and traveling – they’re about community-rooted supply chains, youth education, and real climate action at sea.
And most of all, they are about showing what is possible when people and wind power unite for change.
Report from Flotilla4Change: Cape Verde, here we come. Belém, we are on our way.
With wind in our sails, purpose in our hearts, and the support of a fabulous, committed crew – we sail not just towards a place, but towards a better way forward. Sailing towards #COP30 in Brazil – and right now, we’re off the coast of Mauritania and Senegal. Here, BP is drilling for gas nearly 3,000 meters below the sea – to export LNG to Europe. Meanwhile, local communities are already living the climate crisis.
- Marine ecosystems are collapsing.
- Small-scale fishers are losing their livelihoods.
- Fish are migrating north – fleeing warming waters.Even though countries like Senegal and Morocco have banned European trawlers, foreign companies still exploit these waters – often disguised as local businesses – to produce fishmeal and fish oil for European aquaculture.
Follow the journey
www.flotilla4change.org
www.timbercoast.com
www.fairwindscollective.org
Instagram: @FairWindsCollective
For more information please follow @dontgasafrica @greenpeaceafrica @afiegoug
#PeggyMerkur 
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